Discover how to make Spanish-style Air Fryer Garlic Shrimp! This easy air fryer shrimp recipe is based on the beloved Gambas Pil Pil tapas dish. Positively packed with flavor with plump shrimp, chorizo, spicy chili oil, smoked paprika and loads of garlic. Perfect for sharing with some crusty bread.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Tapas
Cuisine: Spanish
Keyword: Air Fryer Garlic Shrimp, Air Fryer Spanish Prawns
1 ½lbs(700g) jumbo raw shrimp (prawns)frozen, shelled and deveined
½lemon, juice and zest
freshly ground pepper, few turns of the mill
4tbspvirgin olive oil
2tbspunsalted butter
4large garlic cloves, minced
1tspcrushed chili flakes
1tspsmoked paprika
½tspsea salt flakes
3 ½oz(100g) chorizo sausage (cooking variety)
To serve
Lemon wedges
2tbspfresh parsley, chopped
crusty bread
salt and pepper to serve
Instructions
PREPARE THE SHRIMP
Take the shrimp out of the freezer and run under cold water to quickly thaw them. If they have their shells on you will need to peel them (you can leave the tail intact). Use a shrimp de-veining tool if they haven't already been prepped.
1 ½ lbs (700g) jumbo raw shrimp (prawns)
Pat the shrimp dry using kitchen paper, place in a ceramic dish and drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Season with pepper and add the zest.
½ lemon, freshly ground pepper
MAKE THE SPICY OIL
Remove the casing from the chorizo sausage. Chop the chorizo into small cubes or blitz in a mini chopper.
3 ½ oz (100g) chorizo sausage
Add the olive oil and butter in a cake tin or other suitable container that fits your air fryer basket. Cook for a couple of minutes at 400°F (200°C) to heat the oil and melt the butter.
4 tbsp virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Stir in the chili flakes, smoked paprika, salt, minced garlic and chorizo and air fry for 2-3 minutes until sizzling.
4 large garlic cloves, 1 tsp crushed chili flakes, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp sea salt flakes
COOK THE SHRIMP
Pour the spicy oil and chorizo over the shrimp and mix together. Cover the dish with alluminum foil, tightly so that it doesn't fly off.
Cook for 15 minutes then remove the foil, stir again and continue to cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Note: cooking time will vary depending on the size of the shrimp and appliance you use so worth checking after 7 minutes.
SERVE AND ENJOY!
Garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread (preferably homemade!) to mop up every delicious drop of the garlicky sauce.
Lemon wedges, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, crusty bread, salt and pepper to serve
Video
Notes
CAN I COOK THE GARLIC SHRIMP IN THE AIR FRYER BASKET?Yes, you can cook this dish directly in the basket if it has a removable tray (like the Instant Vortex air fryer). Otherwise you will need to use a container such as an air fryer cake barrel or any baking dish that comfortably fits.You can also simply stir the shrimp into the hot oil instead of using two separate dishes (I just love my little ceramic dish so much :)RECIPE TIPSShrimp cooks quickly and can turn rubbery if you are not careful! Luckily cooking it covered in the spicy garlic oil will keep it perfectly juicy and plump.You may need to adjust the cooking time if you are using smaller shrimp / or prawns. I used the jumbo variety here!To check they are done simply look whether they have turned from transluscent grey when raw to a uniform opaque pink-orange color. The tail should have curled into a gentle C shape (if it is tightly curled that indicates they are overcooked).