Gambas pil pil (or prawn pil pil) is an easy-to-make Spanish tapas dish made with fresh prawns, garlic, chilli, and extra-virgin olive oil.
The dish gets its name from the sizzling sound the prawns make when they hit the hot oil.
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The garlic and chilli prawns are delicious as part of a tapas spread or served as a quick and easy starter with crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
It's such a simple rustic dish, but incredibly tasty and flavourful.
👩🍳 Love prawns? Try my prawn, avocado and mango salad too!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- An easy prawn tapas recipe.
- Quick to cook.
- Tasty and delicious.
- Perfect with crusty bread.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Prawns - fresh raw king prawns or tiger prawns.
Oil - a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavour.
Butter - unsalted butter.
Garlic - 3 large cloves, peeled and finely chopped.
Chilli - half a red chilli, chopped. I keep the seeds in, but remove them if you prefer. You could also use ½ teaspoon of dried chilli flakes instead
Lemon - juice of half a lemon helps lift the flavour of the sauce.
Parsley - freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley for colour and garnish.
Paprika - use smoked paprika or hot paprika.
Salt & Pepper - sea salt and black pepper for seasoning.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan on medium high heat until the butter has melted.
Two: Cook the garlic and chilli for one minute, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Three: Add the raw fresh prawns and cook until they turn pink. This should only take a few minutes.
Four: Squeeze over the lemon juice and then sprinkle over the chopped parsley and smoked paprika. Season to taste before serving.
💭 Expert tips
- Use large, fresh, and deveined prawns for the best results.
- Prawns cook quickly, so be careful not to overcook them. They should be pink and cooked through, but still tender and juicy.
- Olive oil is an important part of the dish, so use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavour.
- Gambas Pil Pil is traditionally served in a clay (earthenware) dish with crusty bread for dipping, so make sure you have some on hand.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve with crusty bread or homemade focaccia, alongside other traditional tapas dishes (small plates) like patatas bravas, Spanish tortilla, goat's cheese salad, rocket salad, and roasted peppers.
📖 Variations
- Swap the smoked paprika for sweet paprika, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- For a heartier dish, add some diced chorizo sausage to the pan before cooking the prawns. The spicy and smoky flavour of the chorizo pairs well with the prawns and garlic.
- If you prefer a creamier sauce, add some double cream after the prawns are cooked.
- Garnish with chopped coriander instead of parsley.
- Add a splash of white wine to the pan before you cook the prawns for a richer flavour.
- Leave out the chilli and make Gambas al Ajillo instead (prawns with garlic).
- Serve the garlic and chilli prawns over a bed of buttery spaghetti for a hearty main course.
🥡 Storage
Store - Gambas pil pil is best eaten fresh but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat - Microwave until piping hot, or reheat in a frying pan on the hob.
Freeze - Allow to cool and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Gambas Pil Pil is best enjoyed immediately after cooking, but you can prepare the ingredients in advance and store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Yes, you can use other types of seafood like scallops or squid. Adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure that they're cooked through.
No, oil is a key ingredient in this dish as it's used to cook the prawns, chilli, and garlic and create the sauce.
"Pil Pil" is a Basque term that refers to the sauce or emulsion that forms when olive oil and the natural juices of seafood, like prawns, combine during cooking. In the case of Gambas Pil Pil, the dish gets its name from the garlic and chilli-infused olive oil sauce that forms as the prawns cook in the pan.
Yes, just add them to the pan and mix them into the sauce and serve straight away.
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Recipe
Easy Gambas Pil Pil (Garlic & Chilli Prawns)
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Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 2 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- ½ Red Chilli finely chopped
- 300 g Fresh King Prawns
- ½ Lemon juice only
- 2 tablespoon Parsley chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika or Hot Paprika
- Salt & Pepper to season
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan on medium high heat until the butter has melted.2 tablespoon Butter, 2 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Cook the garlic and chilli for one minute, stirring with a wooden spoon.3 Garlic Cloves, ½ Red Chilli
- Add the raw fresh prawns and cook until they turn pink. This should only take a few minutes.300 g Fresh King Prawns
- Squeeze over the lemon juice and then sprinkle over the chopped parsley and smoked paprika. Season to taste before serving.½ Lemon, 2 tablespoon Parsley, ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika, Salt & Pepper to season
Notes
- Use large, fresh, and deveined prawns for the best results.
- Prawns cook quickly, so be careful not to overcook them. They should be pink and cooked through, but still tender and juicy.
- Use a good quality olive oil: The olive oil is an important part of the dish, so use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavour.
- Gambas Pil Pil is traditionally served in a clay dish with crusty bread for dipping, so make sure you have some on hand.
- Swap the smoked paprika for sweet paprika, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- For a heartier dish, add some diced chorizo sausage to the pan before cooking the prawns. The spicy and smoky flavour of the chorizo pairs well with the prawns and garlic.
- If you prefer a creamier sauce, add some double cream after the prawns are cooked.
- Garnish with chopped coriander instead of parsley.
- Add a splash of white wine to the pan before you cook the prawns.
- Leave out the chilli and make Gambas al Ajillo instead (prawns with garlic).
- Serve the garlic and chilli prawns over a bed of buttery spaghetti for a hearty main course.
Tayler
I adore shrimp, and I can't wait to make this dish for dinner tonight! I already have everything I need!
Dana
These are so perfectly buttery and garlicky! Perfect with a nice big hunk of fresh bread.
Michelle
We just got back from Spain, and I'm so excited to make these at home!
Chenée
The shrimp looks incredible. And I know that the smoked paprika has to add so much flavor!
Stephanie
That looks delicious! I love the added spice!