Camarones al Ajillo

Camarones al Ajillo (garlic shrimp) is shrimp that's cooked with a generous amount of garlic in olive oil. This is a super easy appetizer that comes together really quick; perfect for a tapas inspired cocktail party!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword garlic shrimp

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 480kcal

Ingredients

1½ pound Extra Large or Large Shrimp peeled and deveined
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6-8 Large Garlic Cloves sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch
¼ teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt plus a pinch
Pinch Fresh Ground Black Pepper or to taste
Pinch Crushed Red Pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley finely chopped
2 Lemon or Lime Wedges
1 Loaf Crusty Bread for serving

Instructions

Clean and peel the shrimp, leave the tail on, if desired. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the garlic. Cook gently, stirring almost constantly for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and begins to turn a soft golden color.
Add the shrimp to the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. When the shrimp starts sizzling, lower the heat to medium.
Cook the shrimp, stirring and turning them frequently for approximately 5-6 minutes or until cooked through.
The cooking time will vary some depending on the size of the shrimp. When cooked through, the shrimp will no longer be translucent, will curl and will turn a nice, pink color. Look for these signs, as they will be a more accurate indication that the shrimp are done than the cooking time.
When the shrimp is cooked through, remove the skillet from the heat,
Add another pinch of salt and black pepper, crushed red pepper and parsley. Toss gently.
Squeeze 2 lemon or lime wedges over the shrimp and toss.
Arrange the shrimp on a plate or platter. Then pour the remaining oil and garlic over the shrimp. Serve with bread for dipping in that delicious garlic oil.

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