Pregnancy Friendly Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
Sizzling shrimp in golden garlic oil is one of those dishes that feels like a restaurant splurge but comes together in minutes on your own stovetop. During pregnancy, seafood can feel like a minefield, but shrimp is one of the lower-mercury options that's widely considered safe to enjoy — and cooking it to a verified internal temperature of 145°F, as this recipe does, takes any guesswork completely off the table. The ingredient list is refreshingly short and clean: large shrimp, plenty of garlic, good olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, fresh lemon juice, and parsley. No mystery sauces, no processed additives — just whole, recognizable ingredients you can feel good about. The technique is straightforward too, with clear visual cues (pink, opaque, curled) plus a thermometer check so you know every shrimp is cooked through. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up and makes the whole pan smell incredible. Serve it straight from the skillet with crusty bread to soak up that garlicky oil, and dinner is done.
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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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