This simple, delicious Spanish shrimp tapa is full of flavor that will impress your guests, but only you will know how easy and quick it was to prepare. It is the perfect snack for your company or a quick dinner for two on a busy weeknight.
Every meal should start with a tapa and one of Spain's favorite tapas is gambas al ajillo, aka garlic shrimp. It takes about 15 minutes to make this delicious Spanish garlic shrimp but it tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen.
What I love about this appetizer is that it makes entertaining a breeze. I always keep a bag of peeled, deveined shrimp in my freezer (of course, fresh is better). My guests, and especially my husband, make sure there are no leftovers.
Everything is better with garlic, don't you think? I've eaten things that I normally wouldn't only because they were prepared with lots of garlic. To name a few:
- Escargot
- Frog legs
- Mussels
- Shrimp
Yet, lucky for my husband, I dislike shrimp. It's a field day for him in the event that I prepare it. I'm fine with scooping up the sauce like in marinated spicy shrimp dish because it is super delicious.
Even better for dipping bread is this Spanish sauce of garlic, lemon, and dry sherry. So much so, it was gone before I even served it. Do you taste your food while cooking? I usually don't (wouldn't suggest this for the beginner cooks) but I couldn't resist the fragrance of this garlic shrimp.
My fresh baked bread came out of the oven hot and soft on the inside with a wonderful crispy crust. I just had to tear a piece and soak it in the sauce, and the next piece, and then the next...I mean, who needs shrimp anyway?
The Spanish use lots of garlic for this recipe, like ten cloves or more. Because garlic makes lonely, I only used two large cloves and it was perfect. But by all means, go for ten. Garlic is good for you; it wards off illness (and vampires, ha!) and also increases strength and endurance.
For the sake of authenticity, as well as to make sure you don't reek like you've bathed in garlic, I'm listing five cloves in my ingredients. Just know you can adjust it the way you like it.
15 Minute Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe
[bctt tweet="Get this easy recipe to a 15-minute Spanish Garlic Shrimp Tapa #shrimp #tapas " username="via all_thats_jas"]
Ingredients:
Serves 4
- ½ cup olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like it hot)
- 1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp, about 25 per pound
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup dry sherry (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley leaves
~ Free Tip ~
- Use Spanish brandy instead of dry sherry.
- Substitute cayenne pepper with Spanish paprika and red pepper flakes.
- Cook shrimp with the shell on, like the Spanish do.
Directions:
- If using frozen shrimp, defrost. Rinse shrimp under cold water and pat dry.
- In a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. I love my skillet and cook so many dishes in it, as you may have noticed. Amazon has an awesome deal right now - you should totally take advantage!
- Add the garlic and cayenne pepper and sauté until fragrant, about one minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
- Next, add the shrimp, lemon juice, and sherry and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Stir well, then sauté turning them once until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3-4 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a serving plate or serve right from the pan. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with fresh bread.
15 Minute Spanish Garlic Shrimp Tapa
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper more if you like it hot
- 1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp about 25 per pound
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup dry sherry optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- If using frozen shrimp, defrost. Rinse shrimp under cold water and pat dry.
- In a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cayenne pepper and sauté until fragrant, about one minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
- Next, add the shrimp, lemon juice, and sherry and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Stir well, then sauté turning them once until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3-4 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a serving plate or serve right from the pan.
- Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with fresh bread.
Notes
Pin it: 15-Minute Spanish Garlic Shrimp Tapa
See this recipe featured on Life in a House of Testosterone, Imparting Grace, Tatertots and Jello, and The Pin Junkie.
O T H E R S H R I M P R E C I P E S Y O U W I L L E N J O Y:
SPICY SHRIMP IN CRISPY KATAIFI
QUICK AND EASY SHRIMP "RISOTTO"
Wow… looks delicious. We call them prawns in Australia.
Thank you for linking up at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week and throughout 2017. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all your projects and hope you’ll continue to share your awesomeness with us in 2018.
May your New Year be filled with lots of creative endeavours!!
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Thank you bunches, Kerryanne! Wishing you the same 😀
Yum! I love shrimp and this looks delicious! Thanks for bringing it to Fiesta Friday!Happy 2018!
Thanks so much! Happy New Year!
YUM! I love shrimp! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Thank you! XO
That shrimp looks delicious and so easy to make! Pinned to give a try in the near future!
Super easy to make! Thanks Jan and happy 2018!!!
I love shrimp! This looks like a delicious and simple meal! Definitely saving.
It really is simple and, from what my husband says, delicious. 😀
Sounds awesome.........I love shrimp and I love garlic and I love easy peasy dishes........
Blessings for a Great New year,
Nellie
😀 It doesn't get easier than this! Happy 2018, Nellie!
Hi, Jas! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I grew up in Madrid, Spain, so this is one of my favorite tapas of all times. I am glad I found your beautiful blog. Take care, Maria Elena.
Yes, yes and yes! This sounds delicious, and will be going on my table next week. I'm in search of quick recipes that I can prepare next week while on vacation. This goes on the list, I love shrimp and garlic. Thanks for sharing on Sunday's Best.
Thanks, Rhonda! Gotta love quick meals. Enjoy your vacation!
This dish looks fabulous! Thank you for sharing! I hope you could join us at Fiesta Friday party (http://fiestafriday.net). 😉 Have a lovely week!
Thank you, Jhuls! I'd be happy to join your party next Friday! Enjoy your week!
This is perfect combinantion! Will give it a go next weekend.
Thank you, Ania!
That looks amazing! I can't believe you don't eat shrimp. My little dude will happily come eat your share!
He can have it all, ha! It's not the flavor, it's something about the texture and the look that grosses me out. However, I LOVE bang-bang shrimp! They're smaller, breaded, and coated in a sauce so I can't even tell I'm eating shrimp, lol.
Your Spanish Garlic Shrimp looks amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen!
Oh, I can only imagine all the wonderful flavors!
Okay, your food always looks good, but this looks wonderful! I've pinned this recipe for future reference. I love shrimp, but it's easy to end up with a less-than-flavorful shrimp dish. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I'm featuring you this week!
Thank you, Richella! This dish is definitely full of flavor 🙂
Mmmm Delicious Jas!
Thank you, Patty, and thanks for stopping by 🙂
Hi Jas what time is dinner? These look delicious and one of our favourites in our house. Thanks for sharing with us at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I've pinned and shared.
You're welcome anytime, Sue! Have a great weekend!
Oh my...one more way to prepare my favorite, SHRIMP. Thank you so much. Thank you for linking up at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I shared this post.
😀
I don't eat garlic either, but I would sop up that sauce in a heartbeat! Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope your week is going great.
I think a little garlic goes a long way too 🙂
How can you cook without tasting the food Jas? Sometimes I am ready to dive into the pot. Haha! Especially after having to clean the shrimp. that is one big job!
I don't know, Mary, I just don't. I put everything in, usually eyeballing it, and pray it turns out good. Even with a brand new recipe, lol.
Looks so good! The Mr. would love this recipe. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & sharing.
Thank you, Theresa!
Ohhhh - pinned!! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner Link up!
Thanks, Helen! 🙂
Such an easy recipe and oh so good. I'd use the 10 cloves of garlic (might even leave the shrimp out 🙂 ). Use a good, crusty, bakery fresh baguette ( when I was in Costa Brava, my morning ritual would be to walk down to the local bakery and pick a couple up for lunchtime).
Ha ha, Rhonda! Who needs shrimp, right? Nothing better than fresh crusty bread (especially if you don't have to bake it). That was my ritual while living in Europe too! Thanks for visiting 🙂
This looks so good!
Thank you for sharing at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty
Thank you, Lori!
Jas,
OMG, this looks so yummy. I have shrimp in the freezer so I know what I am making this week.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful posts at Over The Moon Party.
See you next week.
Hugs,
Bev
Thanks, Bev! Hope you'll like them 🙂
Looks yummy! Thank you Jas for linking up at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I shared this post.
Thank you much!
Yum!! You had me at the Russian-Mushroom Soup, but this looks incredibly delicious as well. It would be hard to choose. Wish I had both right now!!
#BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty#15
Thank you, Donna!
I might just be able to pull this one off Jas, that's if I don't finish the sherry before the time 😉 I love any kind of seafood, but the hubby is allergic so we don't make it too often. I'll just have to get him some garlic bread so we can still share a bed 😉
Ha, ha, aren't you romantic? 😉
Oh my God, that looks delicious Jas! I love seafood and eating that as a sandwich just sounds so good :o)
Tania
Thank you, Tania! I love fish but shrimp, not so much...
Too easy, Jas! Too good too! hmmm....yum. I love my prawns!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
Thank you, Ann! Quick and easy is my favorite! 😉
As long as we're both eating garlic, 2 is company!
haha, right!