Garlic Shrimp

April 25, 2026By American Vinegar Works

Iberian Garlic Shrimp with Sherry Vinegar

Name: Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients: 1.25 pounds of fresh, raw shrimp. Peeled and, if needed, deveined; ½ teaspoon of sea salt; Fresh ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon of paprika (sweet); 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves sliced very thin; 1/3 cup of AVW CA Olive Oil; ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (I prefer to use ½ teaspoon but ¼ gives a good flavor balance without being “hot” so start here unless you know you like a little more heat); 2 tablespoons of AVW CA Sherry Wine Vinegar; 2 tablespoons of cold water; 3 to 4 tablespoons of cold butter, cut in 2 or 3 pieces; Cilantro or Flatleaf Parsley chopped, for garnish; Crusty bread for dipping

This is a classic from the Iberian Peninsula that you’ll find on tapas and petisco menus everywhere. The ingredient list is incredibly simple, but the flavors harmonize so perfectly that this will quickly become one of your go-to dishes for impressing guests. It’s the perfect choice for an appetizer, a grazing board, or as a passed hors d'oeuvre at your next gathering.

Garlic shrimp comes together exceptionally fast—prep takes 10 minutes at most and the cooking time is only about 5 minutes—so it should be made just before serving. You will definitely want to soak up every drop of the delicious sauce, so serving it with crusty bread is absolutely mandatory!

You’ll see from the ingredients and instructions that this is the type of recipe that scales up easily. I suggest starting with the portions as written to get a feel for the flavor and texture, then you can easily adjust for a larger crowd next time. Just remember: do not crowd the shrimp in the pan, or you’ll end up with steamed shrimp instead of a nice sear.

Don’t be intimidated by the detailed directions—I’ve just included plenty of context and options to help you along the way. At its heart, this is simply a quick dry seasoning followed by a super-fast pan fry, and you’re done!

This recipe features our American Barrel California Sherry Vinegar and Organic California Olive Oil.

Garlic Shrimp

Author:

American Vinegar Works

You’ll see from the ingredients and instructions that this is the type of recipe that scales up easily. I suggest starting with the portions as written to get a feel for the flavor and texture, then you can easily adjust for a larger crowd next time. Just remember: do not crowd the shrimp in the pan, or you’ll end up with steamed shrimp instead of a nice sear.

This recipe features our American Barrel California Sherry Vinegar and Organic California Olive Oil.

Ingredients

1.25 pounds of fresh, raw shrimp. Peeled and, if needed, deveined
½ teaspoon of sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika (sweet)
4 to 5 medium garlic cloves sliced very thin
1/3 cup of AVW CA Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (I prefer to use ½ teaspoon but ¼ gives a good flavor balance without being “hot” so start here unless you know you like a little more heat)
2 tablespoons of AVW CA Sherry Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons of cold water
3 to 4 tablespoons of cold butter, cut in 2 or 3 pieces
Cilantro or Flatleaf Parsley chopped, for garnish
Crusty bread for dipping

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Directions

Shell the fresh shrimp. Depending on their size, you may want to devein them as well. To devein, use a paring knife to cut along the outer ridge of the shrimp so you can use your fingers to pull out the vein that runs across the shrimp’s "spine." This isn't really necessary for small or medium shrimp. FYI: Buying pre-peeled shrimp will make your meal prep even faster.
Make sure your shrimp is dry. If the shrimp was previously frozen, ensure there is no water left on the surface. Use a paper towel if needed
Add salt, pepper, and paprika to the shrimp in a bowl. Mix well and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Note that peeled shrimp will absorb salt very quickly, so you don’t want to leave them in the seasoning for more than 15 minutes.
Heat your bread: 10 minutes at 350°F usually does it. You can also grill the bread if you want and have the extra time.
While the shrimp seasons, VERY thinly slice 4 to 5 garlic cloves. It will look like too much, but it is not. The recipe has "garlic" in the name for a reason, and it is central to the flavor of this dish.
Heat a large pan. You want something wide enough that the shrimp can be placed in a single, uncrowded layer. This ensures the shrimp lightly fries instead of steams.
Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and the crushed red pepper. Do not let the oil smoke.
Add the shrimp in a single layer to the pan as soon as the oil gets hot—which, depending on your preheating, should be almost immediately.
Spread the thinly sliced garlic evenly over the shrimp.
Flip the shrimp individually after 1 to 2 minutes. This moves fast, so stay by the pan. As you flip the shrimp, let the garlic drop down into the oil as well.
Wait about one minute (until the shrimp is just cooked through) and then add the sherry, followed by the water, and stir to mix.
Add the cold butter, spreading it around the pan.
Gently swirl the pan by the handle so that the butter melts and emulsifies into the sauce. If the swirl isn’t working, just use a spoon to stir it in.
Serve right away. Be sure to put all the sauce, including the garlic, onto the serving dish or tray. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve alongside the warm bread. This is not a "make-ahead" dish, though you can prep many of the steps (peeling shrimp, cutting garlic) in advance to make it a very fast-turning meal.
Note on Paprika: Use good quality, fresh paprika. Paprika is one of those spices that deteriorates relatively quickly in the cabinet. I prefer to use sweet (not smoked) paprika because I find the smoke can overwhelm the other ingredients, but you should experiment to see if you prefer smoked over sweet.
Note on Shrimp Type: I tend to use medium to large, fully peeled shrimp for this dish, as shrimp shrink a bit during cooking and I have picky eaters at home who dislike shells. A higher visual-impact variation is to use jumbo, super-fresh shrimp and leave the heads on. You will need to adjust the cooking time, but these look very sophisticated on a plate for more adventurous eaters. Regardless of the size shrimp you use be careful with cooking times— SHRIMP COOKS VERY QUICKLY