Spanish · lunch, dinner, snack
Gambas al Ajillo: Spanish Garlic Prawns
Video by Spain on a Fork on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Keto if you skip the crusty baguette
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free with a swap: Skip the baguette or use gluten-free bread; the prawns themselves are gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Crustacea. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Prawns make each serve rich in protein, very high in selenium and a good source of vitamin B12; the sauce is just garlic-infused olive oil and wine, with no butter, cream or added sugar.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 9
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Pat the prawns completely dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. 0:37
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, season the oil lightly with salt, then add the garlic and dried chillies, stirring constantly so the garlic colours evenly. 2:09
- After about 2 minutes, when the garlic is pale gold, add the prawns in a single layer. Cook 1½–2 minutes, then flip them. 3:05
- Pour in the white wine, raise the heat to medium-high and cook about 2 more minutes until the alcohol has cooked off and the prawns are just cooked through. 3:34
- Tip everything into a serving dish, scraping up all the sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve with baguette for mopping up the garlic oil. 4:12
Tip. Serve as a tapa with bread, or spoon over wholewheat pasta for a main. Swap the wine for broth or white grape juice to cook without alcohol. Don't overcook the prawns or they turn rubbery.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 34%
- Protein 20%
- Fat 46%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 93% of the 33 g of net carbs come from the crusty baguette. To cut carbs, try leaving it out — it is optional.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High84%
46 µg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (64%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B12 High42%
1 µg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin E High24%
3.5 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (73%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin K High24%
29 µg a serve, mostly from fresh parsley (57%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Omega-3 High21%
0.3 g a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (53%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Zinc Source14%
1.6 mg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (62%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B6 Source13%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (43%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Magnesium Source10%
44 mg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (54%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Show the other 7
Iron9%
1.6 mg a serve, mostly from crusty baguette (58%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Folate8%
32 µg a serve, mostly from crusty baguette (58%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Calcium7%
87 mg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (48%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Potassium6%
290 mg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (54%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin A4%
37 µg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (88%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin C4%
3.6 mg a serve, mostly from garlic (46%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from raw jumbo prawns (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Spain on a Fork; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.