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 as you've bathed in garlic, I'm listing five cloves in my ingredients. Just know you can adjust it the way you like it.
Ingredients:
- olive oil
- garlic
- cayenne pepper
- raw peeled and deveined shrimp
- lemon
- dry sherry (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley leaves
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.
- 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.
Related Recipes:
- Spicy Shrimp in Crispy Kataifi
- Oven-Baked Bang Bang Shrimp
- Grilled Shrimp Kebabs
- Quick and Easy Shrimp "Risotto"
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Linguine
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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
Nutrition
Patty says
Mmmm Delicious Jas!
Jas says
Thank you, Patty, and thanks for stopping by 🙂
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond says
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.
Jas says
You're welcome anytime, Sue! Have a great weekend!
Clearissa says
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.
Jas says
😀
Sandra says
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.
Jas says
I think a little garlic goes a long way too 🙂
Mary says
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!
Jas says
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.
Theresa @DearCreatives says
Looks so good! The Mr. would love this recipe. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & sharing.
Jas says
Thank you, Theresa!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Ohhhh - pinned!! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner Link up!
Jas says
Thanks, Helen! 🙂
Rhonda says
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).
Jas says
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 🙂
Lori Hill-Smith says
This looks so good!
Thank you for sharing at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty
Jas says
Thank you, Lori!
Beverly says
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
Jas says
Thanks, Bev! Hope you'll like them 🙂
Grammy Dee says
Looks yummy! Thank you Jas for linking up at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I shared this post.
Jas says
Thank you much!
Donna says
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
Jas says
Thank you, Donna!
Michelle says
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 😉
Jas says
Ha, ha, aren't you romantic? 😉
Tania says
Oh my God, that looks delicious Jas! I love seafood and eating that as a sandwich just sounds so good :o)
Tania
Jas says
Thank you, Tania! I love fish but shrimp, not so much...
Ann says
Too easy, Jas! Too good too! hmmm....yum. I love my prawns!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
Jas says
Thank you, Ann! Quick and easy is my favorite! 😉
Mrs Shoes says
As long as we're both eating garlic, 2 is company!
Jas says
haha, right!