Chicken Free Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
Few dishes hit as hard as a sizzling pan of garlicky shrimp pulled straight from the stove and set right on the table. This classic Spanish tapa is built on a short, clean list of ingredients — plump shrimp, loads of thinly sliced garlic, a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for gentle heat. The technique is simple but satisfying: the garlic blooms slowly in the oil until it turns pale golden and fragrant, then the shrimp go in over higher heat and cook in just a few minutes until they're pink, curled, and perfectly opaque. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a shower of flat-leaf parsley at the finish brighten everything up and make the dish feel restaurant-worthy with almost no effort. Since the whole recipe is built around seafood, olive oil, and aromatics, it's naturally free from poultry without any substitutions or workarounds needed. Serve it straight from the skillet with crusty bread to soak up every drop of that garlicky, spiced oil — it disappears fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ lb large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined, tails on
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry with paper towels, then season evenly with the salt and black pepper.
- 2
Pour the olive oil into a large (10–12-inch) skillet or cazuela and set over medium heat until the oil shimmers and a garlic slice dropped in sizzles immediately, about 2 minutes.
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