
Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe – Gambas al Pil Pil
This Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe, known as Gambas al Pil Pil in Spain, is a great way to easily serve up shrimp. Each spicy garlic shrimp is loaded with Spanish flavor and the entire dish is done in under 20 minutes. These shrimp are usually served as a tapa (appetizer), but you can certainly serve them up next to a roasted pepper and goat cheese salad and some grilled sweet potatoes for a complete meal.
If your looking for a dish that takes the beloved shrimp to the next level, this Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe is your go-to recipe. Best enjoyed with a crunchy baguette to mop up all the spicy garlicky sauce 🙂 .
So, this Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe is called Gambas al Pil Pil in Spain, what does ¨al pil pil¨ actually mean? Well, pil pil is a sauce made of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika and Spanish peppers. Once all the ingredients are sizzling in the pan you add the shrimp, which cook in the pil pil sauce.
I used Spanish peppers in this recipe, which are not to spicy, but you can use any type of peppers that you like. Check out the video below on how to make this Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe or print out the recipe card below. Salud!
Watch the Video Below on How to Make this Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe
Spicy Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe - Gambas al pil pil
Ingredients
- -1/4 cup extra virgin Spanish olive oil
- -3 cloves of garlic
- -1 guindilla spanish red pepper
- -1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- -15 jumbo raw shrimp
- sea salt
- black pepper
- fresh parsley
Instructions
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Thinly slice 3 cloves of garlic, cut off the stem of 1 Spanish pepper (or any other type of pepper that you like), cut it in half and deseed it with a spoon, then cut it into thin slices
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Season 15 raw jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined) with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
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Heat a small non-stick frying pan with a medium-high heat and add a 1/4 cup of extra virgin Spanish olive oil, once the oil get´s hot add the sliced garlics and sliced peppers, mix with the oil, after about 1 minute add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and mix everything together, then add the shrimp in a single layer, after cooking the shrimp for 1 1/2 minutes flip them and cook for another 1 1/2 minutes
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Transfer everything in the pan to a shallow bowl and sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley
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Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
If you need any of the above ingredients to make this recipe, you can purchase them through this Amazon Affiliate Link Shop for Ingredients and get them delivered right to your door!
Ted Brooks

16 . Apr . 2024I used a jalapeno pepper and used cilantro rather than parsley on top. Loved it! A great taste. Thanks for sharing.
Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Much love
17 . Apr . 2024Michael
Hola Albert. I’m new to your channel – I found it by accident, so decided to try one of your recipes. I chose garlic gambas and it was so simple to make but OMG, it packed so much flavour. Garcia’s.
25 . May . 2022Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
25 . May . 2022Ben Alexander
Do you use sweet smoked paprika or hot smoked paprika?
07 . Jun . 2021Spain on a Fork
I used sweet smoked paprika in this recipe, but you can totally use hot smoked paprika 🙂 much love
07 . Jun . 2021Silvia @ Garden in the Kitchen
OMG so simple yet so flavorful and delicious. I can never resist a shrimp dish, and when you add the spicy factor, it would be impossible to resist. Thanks for sharing!
18 . Apr . 2018Spain on a Fork
Thank you for the comment Silvia 🙂
18 . Apr . 2018