Sweet and tender prawns cooked in excellent quality olive oil, garlic and chilli to create Gambas Pil Pil - arguably the hero of Spanish tapas dishes.
Ideally mopped up with thick, crusty bread to finish all of the delightfully flavoured oil that remains after all the garlic and chilli prawns have been enjoyed.
How to Serve
Gambas Pil Pil is typically served alongside other small plates, to share, as a full meal.
Other popular Tapas dishes include:
Patatas Bravas
Patatas Gratinadas
Pollo Rebazado (Chicken cooked in batter with a honey, mustard sauce)
Chorizo in Red Wine Sauce
Butifarra Negra (Black Pudding with an Apple and Pear Chutney)
Queso De Cabra Al Horno (Goats Cheese with an Orange Marmalade Glaze)
Spanish Croquettas
Vieiras Con Serrano
Ingredients for Gambas Pil Pil
Prawns: the bigger, the better! More forgiving in the method of cooking (doesn't overcook as easily), plus more eating involved!
Olive Oil: the best quality you can get, as it's the base of the whole dish
Chilli: de-seeded to reduce the heat or retain the seeds if you like it spicy!
Garlic
Paprika
Parsley
Lemon: optional garnish (but it does add a refreshing lift when squeezed over the dish)
Method (How To Make) Gambas Pil Pil
Prepare everything first, as once we start, it’s going to go quickly!
Peel and de-vein prawns (if they aren’t already), finely chop chilli (retain seeds for heat or discard if you prefer it milder), garlic cloves and parsley and set aside.
Add olive oil to pan and start to heat up until it’s near smoking point (i.e. hot HOT), then add chilli and garlic into pan once oil has reached temperature and quickly layer in the raw prawns.
We do this quickly as we don't want the garlic to burn, but also because adding all the prawns to the pan will bring down the temperature. Cook for a minute or so then turn the prawns over. Timing will vary dependant on size of prawns.
Once you start seeing all prawns turning from translucent to opaque (slightly grey and see-through to fully pink), they’re nearly ready. Add paprika and chopped fresh parsley into pan.
Garnish with lemon wedge (can also squeeze this over it once served) and some bread for mopping up the flavoursome oil!
Beware!
Do not overcook the prawns, as they can quickly turn from sweet, fleshy and juicy to rubbery and chewy if cooked too long.
Clue: aim for pink!
Wait for that grey, opaque look to turn into blush pink and you're good to go!
FAQs
I personally wouldn't recommend it, as it's always best served fresh. As mentioned above, prawns can easily overcook, so if you need to reheat, the likelihood is that the texture will be impacted. If you need to though, you can, simply reheat until piping hot and serve straight away.
And finally…
If you do choose to make it, I hope you enjoy it. And if you have any other questions, or want to tell me what you think of my recipe, then please leave a comment below.
Or tag me on my Instagram and show me your recreation of the recipe.
Find the joy in food x
Gambas Pil Pil (Prawn Tapas Dish)
Ingredients
- 300 g prawns approx. 12 large peeled and de-veined
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red chilli
- 2 garlic cloves
- small handful parsley
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- lemon wedge optional
- bread optional
Instructions
- Prepare everything first as once we start, it’s going to go quickly: peel and de-vein 300 g prawns if they aren’t already, finely chop 1 red chilli (retain seeds for heat or discard if you prefer it milder), 2 garlic cloves and small handful parsley and set aside
- Add 3 tablespoon olive oil to pan and start to heat up until it’s near smoking point (i.e. hot HOT)
- Add chilli and garlic into pan once oil has reached temperature and quickly layer in the raw prawns (we do this quickly as we don't want the garlic to burn)
- Cook for a minute or so then turn the prawns over
- Once you start seeing all prawns turning from translucent to opaque (slightly grey and see-through to fully pink), they’re nearly ready
- Finally add ¼ teaspoon paprika and chopped fresh parsley into pan
- Garnish with lemon wedge (can also squeeze this over it once served) and some bread for mopping up the flavoursome oil!
Christine Jackson says
Lovely many thanks
Megan says
This is such a quick and easy dish - I made it as a starter instead of tapas. Everyone loved it!