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The main dish, Mediterranean

Grilled gambas with garlic parsley butter and saffron rice

Grilled gambas with garlic parsley is a seafood dish for 6 people, served with saffron rice. It takes 25 minutes of active work, most of it done in the morning, and finishes in 5 minutes on a very hot grill pan right before serving. Very easy, costing about €9.50 per person, its success comes down to hand chopped garlic parsley and a short sear with the shell left on.

Gambas grilled just right, smelling of garlic and parsley, you get your fingers messy, you dig in, you go back for more.

Grilled gambas with garlic parsley butter and saffron rice
For
6 people
Work
25 min
Total time
45 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€9.50
Calories per person
470 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

The gambas grill with their shells on, which keeps them juicy and gives them that charred flavor you only get from a hot grill pan. The garlic parsley mix, lifted with a pinch of Espelette pepper, seasons the flesh without overpowering it, while the saffron rice brings color and a mellow sweetness that balances the dish.

This is the kind of dish you serve in summer, when you're hosting outside and don't want to spend the evening at the stove. People eat with their hands, suck on the heads, and the mess becomes part of the fun. It works well for a casual dinner with friends, where the smell of garlic on the grill announces the meal before it even hits the table.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 15 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 23 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 5 min

In the morning, make the garlic parsley mix and let the gambas marinate for no more than two hours. Right before guests arrive, cook the saffron rice and get the grill pan heating up. At serving time, sear the gambas for a few minutes, spoon over fresh garlic parsley, and serve right away with the rice and lemon wedges.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Raw gambas with shell on 1 kg

Pantry

  • Long grain riceoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Saffronoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Espelette pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Fleur de seloften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Lemons 2

Allergens Shellfish

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Chop the garlic and parsley together into a garlic parsley mix, then stir in the olive oil and Espelette pepper. 10 min

    Chop by hand, a food processor crushes the garlic and makes it bitter.

  2. Take out the gambas, rinse and pat them dry, then place them in a dish with half the garlic parsley mix. 5 min

    Don't marinate them longer than two hours, the garlic would start to cook the flesh.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cook the rice with the saffron in twice its volume of salted water, then keep it covered. 18 min

    Steep the saffron in a little warm water before adding it, it colors the rice better.

  2. Cut the lemons into wedges and get out the grill pan or a large cast iron skillet. 5 min

    Heat the grill pan for 10 minutes beforehand, it needs to be searing hot.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Sear the gambas for 2 minutes per side on the very hot grill pan. 5 min

    They're done as soon as they turn pink and curl up.

  2. Pour the remaining garlic parsley mix over the gambas off the heat, add the fleur de sel, and serve with the rice and lemon.

    Adding the fresh garlic parsley at the end keeps all its flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick large gambas, they hold up better to the quick sear without drying out.
  • Don't crowd the grill pan, cook the gambas in two batches if needed so they sear instead of steaming in their own juice.
  • Set out bowls of lemon water or damp napkins on the table, this is a dish you eat with your hands.

The variations

  • Swap the gambas for large pink shrimp, the cooking time stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, grill summer vegetables like eggplant and zucchini with the same garlic parsley mix.
  • For kids, peel some of the gambas before serving and cut back on the Espelette pepper.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of chilled dry white wine
  • A simple tomato salad with olive oil
  • Grilled bread to mop up the garlic parsley

Storage

Cooked gambas keep for 24 hours in the fridge in a sealed container, though they taste much better eaten right away. The saffron rice keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge and reheats well steamed or in a pan with a splash of water.

Questions about this recipe

Do you need to peel the gambas before cooking them?

No, keep the shell on during cooking, it protects the flesh and keeps it juicy. Everyone peels their own gambas at the table, which is part of the fun.

Can you use something other than a grill pan?

A large, well heated cast iron skillet works just as well, the key is a surface that gets very hot and stays hot. Avoid a thin pan, the gambas would cook unevenly.

How many gambas should you plan per person?

One kilogram of shell on gambas for 6 people makes a generous main course portion. If your guests have big appetites, plan for 180 to 200 grams per person instead.

Can you make this dish without saffron?

Yes, the rice still tastes fine plain, you just lose the color and the distinct saffron flavor. A little turmeric gives a similar color, though the taste is different.

Can grilled gambas with garlic parsley and saffron rice be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 25 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make grilled gambas with garlic parsley and saffron rice?

Allow 45 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 25 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "very easy".

How many calories are in grilled gambas with garlic parsley and saffron rice?

About 470 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does grilled gambas with garlic parsley and saffron rice cost?

About €9.50 per person, that's €57.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
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360 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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