Spanish garlic prawns (gambas al ajillo)

Spanish garlic prawns (gambas al ajillo): juicy prawns in olive oil with garlic, chilli, parsley and lemon. Quick to make and full of Mediterranean flavour.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 5 min
• Cooking time: 5 min
• Total time: 10 min
• Calories: 250 kcal per serving
• Protein: 24 g
• Fat: 16 g
• Carbs: 2 g

Ingredients

• 300 g prawns
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• ½ lemon
• 1 red chilli
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 pinch of coarse sea salt

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · chopping board · knife · wooden spoon

1. Thinly slice the garlic, cut the chilli into rings and roughly chop the parsley.
2. Pat the prawns thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with coarse sea salt.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or earthenware dish. Add the garlic and chilli and let them infuse briefly until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
4. Add the prawns and fry briefly over a medium to high heat until pink on both sides and just cooked through.
5. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the parsley. Season to taste with lemon juice.
6. Serve immediately, ideally straight from the hot pan.

Good to know

This is one of those dishes that tastes like a holiday by the sea. Hot from the pan, fragrant and simple in flavour. Little effort, lots of atmosphere.

Swaps

Prawns → scallops (similar protein content) | Parsley → coriander (also provides plant compounds) | Lemon → lime (also provides vitamin C) | Olive oil → avocado oil (heat-stable, mainly monounsaturated fatty acids)

Allergens

Contains crustaceans, so it isn't suitable for anyone with a shellfish allergy. For children, keep it mild with little or no chilli, and in pregnancy only use prawns that are cooked right through.

Dairy-free recipes