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Gambas Pil Pil with Garlic and Smoked Paprika
Spanish Prawns in Aromatic Olive Oil
🍽️ 4 servings Prep 15 min. Cook 10 min. Total 25 min. ⭐ Easy

Juicy prawns meet garlic, chilli flakes and smoked paprika in flavorful olive oil.

The Story Behind the Recipe

During a trip around several Andalusian cities, I tasted many wonderful dishes. Gambas pil pil became one of my favorites.

I loved how a few ingredients could produce so much flavor: prawns, garlic, aromatic oil, paprika and a little heat. I wanted to recreate the taste I had enjoyed in Spain.

The result made me very happy. This is a simple recipe that depends on careful cooking. In my version, chilli flakes provide the heat, with the quantity adjusted to preference.

The Technique

  • Sear the prawns briefly.
  • Infuse the oil gently without browning the garlic.
  • Add the paprika off the heat.
Ingredients

  • Prawns: approximately 25, peeled and deveined

  • Olive oil: approximately 120 ml / ½ US cup total

  • Garlic: 5-6 cloves, thinly sliced

  • Smoked paprika: ½-1 tsp

  • Chilli flakes: ½-1 tsp, adjusted to heat preference

  • Salt: to taste

Steps

Prawns

  1. Toss the prawns with a little of the olive oil and salt.

  2. Add to a hot frying pan without crowding.

  3. Sear briefly, approximately up to 1 minute per side depending on size, then remove.

Aromatic Oil

  1. Lower the pan temperature. Add the remaining olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes.

  2. Heat gently over medium heat until fragrant.

  3. Turn off the heat before the garlic begins to brown.

  4. Stir in the paprika and a little salt if needed.

  5. Return the prawns, coat in the oil and check they are properly cooked. Serve immediately.

Tips and Secrets

  1. Start with fewer chilli flakes, as their heat varies.

  2. Let an excessively hot pan cool slightly before adding garlic.

  3. The olive oil carries the dish’s aromas and is an essential part of it.

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