These juicy Garlic & Chilli Prawns also known as Gambas Pil Pil are a classic delicious Spanish tapas dish made with sizzling prawns, garlic, chilli, olive oil & parsley. They are also dairy & gluten free!!
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You will almost be guaranteed to find gambas pil pil on any Spanish tapas bar menu! This simple classic of garlic & chilli prawns is one of my favourite tapas dishes to make at home.
It’s super easy & quick to make, but equally an impressive tapas dish to serve to friends and family.
Plump, juicy prawns are cooked in hot oil with fresh, sliced garlic and chilli, along with some smoked paprika, then garnished with fresh, chopped parsley.
Don’t forget the chunk of crusty bread (gluten-free if needed!) to mop up all the delicious juices! This is the best bit!
If you love your seafood, check out this tasty creamy prawn & chorizo pasta too!
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This simple prawn tapas dish is so quick to make - ready in just 10 minutes!
- Free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts!
- Rich, smoky flavours with a spice level that can be adjusted to suit your taste preference!
🥘 Ingredients & Substitutions
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Prawns- I have used jumbo raw king prawns that have already been peeled & prepared. If you are using pre-cooked prawns you don’t need to cook them first. Just add them to the chilli, garlic and oil mixture to warm through, ensuring they reach an internal temperature of 120˚F. ( The easiest way to check this is with a meat thermometer). You can also use frozen prawns, just make sure they are fully defrosted before cooking.
- Chilli - I love fresh red chilli and this is what I have used, however, you can also use dried chilli flakes instead. If so, I would recommend using around 1 teaspoon for this recipe.
- Paprika Powder - Sweet, hot or smoked paprika, the choice is yours!
- Parsley -Fresh parsley is best for this recipe, I wouldn’t recommend using dried parsley as the flavour is totally different. If you have any leftover fresh parsley, make some Baba Ganoush to go with your tapas feast.
- Olive Oil - Use a good quality olive oil. You can either use standard olive oil or extra virgin olive oil. There's a common misconception that extra virgin olive oil should not be heated as it has a low smoke point and can be harmful, however research has debunked this myth & shows extra virgin olive oil can be safely used in various cooking methods.
- Garlic - Garlic is so good for you! Feel free to adjust the amount of garlic used in the recipe, depending on your taste preferences. I. have used fresh garlic cloves, like I have in this dairy-free garlic bread.
🤔 Can I use Pre-Cooked Prawns?
Yes, of course! As the prawns are already cooked you will just need to warm them through, so instead of adding them to the pan first, simply toss them in when adding the garlic and chilli to the frying pan.
✏️ How To Make Gambas Pil Pil
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
This dish cooks really quickly, so I would advise prepping all of the ingredients first, so you are ready to throw them all in the pan when the oil is hot!
Step 1: Finely chop the parsley and red chilli, then chop the garlic into thin slices. I prefer to slice it rather than chop it into little chunks as garlic cooks really quickly and I find it can sometimes burn at a high heat if it is chopped small.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the raw prawns once hot.
Step 3: Cook the prawns for a couple of minutes before turning them over onto the other side.
Step 4: Add the garlic, red chilli and paprika and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The prawns are cooked when they turn pink and have reached an internal temperature of 120˚F
Step 5: Remove the prawns from the heat and stir in the fresh chopped parsley, pour the mixture into a serving dish and serve immediately. Don’t forget to pour all the lovely sauce in too!!
💡 Tips & Tricks
- Use jumbo king prawns for some extra juiciness.
- If you are buying fresh prawns, you may need to de-vein them before cooking.
- If you don't like things too spicy, you can make the dish a little milder by removing the seeds from the red chilli or adjusting the amount of chilli used.
- The prawns will cook really quickly, so keep an eye on them, when they turn pink they are ready!
- For an authentic tapas experience, serve the prawn pil pil in a clay( earthenware) dish.
🥡 How To Store
I would really recommend serving & eating these garlic prawns right after cooking as this is when they will taste their best, however, if you need to store them, here’s how to do it.
In The Fridge
If you have leftovers they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for around 2 days. Reheat the prawns in a frying pan on a medium heat for a few minutes until piping hot throughout. You may need to add a dash more oil if the sauce is looking a little dry.
* Note - Only re-heat this dish if you have used raw, fresh prawns. Do not re-heat the prawns more than once or reheat pre-cooked prawns.
In The Freezer
Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.
* Note - This dish is only suitable for freezing if you have used fresh, raw prawns. Do not re-freeze prawns that have already been frozen.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
The best bit about this dish is soaking up the smoky, delicious oil with lots of bread! If you are following a gluten free diet, this gluten free tiger loaf by Warburton's is so good!
Serve this Gambas Pil PIl recipe alongside some Patatas Bravas, Serrano Ham, Fried Aubergine With Honey, Ham Croquettes & Oives for a tapas feast!
You can also stir the garlic, chilli prawn mixture through some pasta or spaghetti for a quick weeknight pasta dish.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Gambas means Prawn in Spanish and pil pil is a sauce originating from the Basque Country consisting of garlic, oil and chilli, so putting it all together it basically means prawns with garlic, oil and chilli!
Can I use other types of seafood instead of prawns?
Yes, you can use other seafood like shrimp, scallops or even small calamari rings to make a variation of this dish. Just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
How do you pronounce "Gambas Pil Pil”?
It is pronounced as "Gahm-bahs Peel Peel." The "G" is pronounced like the "G" in "go," and "Pil Pil" is repeated for emphasis.
⚡ More Gluten Free & Dairy Free Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Gambas Pil Pil - Garlic & Chilli Prawns
Ingredients
- 165 g (½ cup) raw jumbo king prawns
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil (4 tbsp)
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 handful fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, non stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
- Finely chop the parsley and red chilli, then chop the garlic into thin slices.
- Add the raw prawns and cook for a couple of minutes before turning them over onto the other side.
- Add the garlic, red chilli and paprika and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The prawns are cooked when they turn pink and have reached an internal temperature of 120˚F.
- Remove the prawns from the heat and stir in the fresh chopped parsley, then pour the mixture into a serving dish and serve immediately. Don’t forget to pour all the lovely sauce in too!!
Notes
- Use jumbo king prawns for some extra juiciness.
- If you are buying fresh prawns, you may need to de-vein them before cooking.
- If you don't like things too spicy, you can make the dish a little milder by removing the seeds from the red chilli or adjusting the amount of chilli used.
- The prawns will cook really quickly, so keep an eye on them, when they turn pink they are ready!
- For an authentic tapas experience, serve the prawn pil pil in a clay (earthenware) dish.
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