Gambas al ajillo pintxo is the Basque way of enjoying this popular Spanish appetizer. This super simple appetizer is quick to prepare, and will delight your guests at any party!
Round out your meal with these goat cheese and caramelized onion pintxo and a glass of rosé sangria!
Introduction
The first time I tried gambas al ajillo I was blown away. It was a simple tapa: shrimp, garlic, and a couple of small, hot peppers. They were swimming in golden oil that was sizzling and shimmering when the plate landed on the table. The smell was amazing! The prawns were tender and juicy, and the garlicky oil that was left in the pot was perfect for mopping up with crusty bread. It's remained one of my favorite tapas ever since!
Gambas al ajillo is a dish that you can find all over Spain. Since most tapas are region-specific, you won't see many overlapping recipes in Andalusia, Madrid, or the Basque Country, but garlic prawns are an exception. You can find a good plate of gambas al ajillo in almost every city in the country!
In the Basque Country, where pintxos reign supreme, gambas look a little different. Pintxos are smaller than tapas, and are usually skewered to bread with a toothpick or eaten like a shish kebab. You might also see this recipe called a brocheta de gambas or a pincho de gambas.
Ingredients
I'm so excited to share this amazing pintxo recipe with you! Fortunately, you don't need a lot of ingredients for this an amazing dish. Let's talk about the key ingredients...
- Shrimp: Use large, fresh shrimp--preferably with the tails still on.
- Garlic: This is one of the big flavors in this dish! Use freshly minced garlic for the freshest flavor.
- Olive Oil: Use good quality Spanish olive oil for a great flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Gambas al Ajillo Pintxos
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Remove the shrimp heads, shells, and legs, but leave the tails on. Pierce the shrimp on the skewers, making them into the shape of the letter C. (image 1)
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet, then add the garlic and cook it until it's aromatic, about 1 minute. (image 2)
- Add the shrimp skewers to the pan and cook them until the shrimp is golden and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes on each side.(image 3)
- Place the cooked shrimp skewers on a plate and squeeze lemon juice on top. (image 4)
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of sea salt to taste. (image 5)
- Enjoy right away and serve with crusty bread! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Gambas al ajillo are made from cooked shrimp served on skewers and coated in garlicky olive oil, and then garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a hint of parsley. In the Basque region, you'll also find gambas al ajillo pintxos served with crusty bread to mop up the oil.
I recommend serving any crusty bread with this pintxo! Try some traditional Basque bread with this recipe if you can find some or make your own.
This gambas al ajillo pintxo tastes best when served hot and freshly cooked. But if you have leftovers, they should keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Serve
These gambas al ajillo pintxos are easy to prepare and taste deceptively complex. It's the perfect recipe to go to when you need to get food ready for guests in a hurry!
Combine these gambas al ajillo with other tapas like tuna stuffed piquillo peppers, pinchos morunos, fried goat cheese with honey, or some of my other pintxos recipes to create a grazing platter of pintxos that's sure to impress!
Expert Tips
- My recipe makes twelve pintxos, but you can halve or double the quantities to scale down or up.
- I recommend using whole shrimp (with heads and shells on) or at least with the tails still on. If you can't find shrimp this way, however, no problem!
Other Pintxos Recipes You'll Love
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Gambas al Ajillo Pintxo Recipe
Ingredients
- 36 large whole shrimp
- 5 cloves garlic
- â…“ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- chopped parsley to serve
- sea salt flakes to serve
Instructions
- Remove the shrimp heads, shells, and legs from the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place three raw shrimp on each skewer by piercing them at the top and the tail so they look like the letter C.
- Place a skillet large enough to fit your skewers over medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil, then add the garlic and cook until it's aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Place 3 skewers at a time in the skillet and cook the shrimp on each side until golden and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side. If the shrimp start sticking, add a bit more oil to the pan.
- Remove the skewers from the pan and put them on a serving plate. Garnish to taste with freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped parsley, and flakes of sea salt.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread and enjoy!
Notes
- My recipe makes twelve pintxos, but you can halve or double the quantities to scale down or up.
- I recommend using whole shrimp (with heads and shells on) or at least with the tails still on. If you can't find shrimp this way, however, no problem!
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
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