Spanish Tapas Trio Recipe
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Uno, dos, tres—find a friend, because these tapas weren’t made for eating alone. (Okay, technically you could eat all three yourself. We’ve done it. Zero regrets.)
Tapas culture is built on one simple idea: order more than you need, share everything, and stay at the table way longer than you planned. We can’t give you the alleyway bar in Sevilla or the flamenco playing from someone’s window, but we can get you pretty close with these three Spanish tapas on the Charbroil 3-in-1 Performance Series Grill.
You’ve got pimientos de padron — those compulsively snackable blistered peppers that are mild and smoky… until one sneaks up on you with a kick. Calamares a la plancha, griddled whole squid that go tender and slightly charred, doused in a bright ajo y perejil herb oil you blended in about thirty seconds. And montadito de gambas — two juicy shrimp halves perched on a toasted baguette slice with a smoked paprika and cayenne aioli that’s equal parts creamy, smoky, and dangerous.
The magic here? Every dish hits the same griddle, one after another, in under 20 minutes total. No deep fryers. No massive prep. No culinary degree required. Just three plates that taste like you tried way harder than you did.
Find a friend to share them with. Or don’t. We already told you we’ve been there.
Vamos a España in your backyard.
PREP TIME
20 mins
COOK TIME
20 mins
SERVINGS
2-3
Ingredients
Pimientos de Padron
- Olive oil
- 8 oz Padron peppers (shishitos are a fine substitute)
- Fleur de sel
Ajo y Perejil (Parsley & Garlic Oil)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt, to taste
Grilled Calamari
- ~10 oz cleaned whole calamari, frozen
- Olive oil, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Shredded lettuce, for garnish
Smoked Paprika & Cayenne Aioli
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Montadito de Gambas
- 4 colossal shrimp
- Olive oil, to taste
- Smoked paprika, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Baguette, sliced on the bias in 1″ thick slices
- Roasted red pepper strips
- Smoked Paprika & Cayenne Aioli
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Spanish Tapas Trio
Pimientos de Padron
- In a large bowl, toss peppers in oil to taste.
- Preheat Charbroil griddle to medium heat.
- Lightly oil griddle. Get oil hot, but don’t get it to smoking point.
- Add peppers to griddle and turn them every couple mins or so to get a slight char. You want to remove each pepper immediately when it begins to deflate.
- Remove and toss with salt. Enjoy!
Ajo y Perejil (Parsley & Garlic Oil)
- Combine everything in a food blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to serve.
Grilled Calamari
- Preheat Charbroil griddle to medium heat.
- Separate calamari from their tentacles. Set aside.
- Lightly oil griddle.
- Grill calamari and tentacles on griddle for about 4-5 mins total, flipping halfway through. Remove from griddle and set aside.
- To serve: Top a small plate with shredded lettuce, calamari and tentacles, then herb oil. Enjoy!
Smoked Paprika & Cayenne Aioli
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until well-integrated. Chill until ready to serve.
Montadito de Gambas
- Preheat Charbroil griddle to medium heat.
- Toss shrimp in olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Grill shrimp for 1-2 mins per side, or until cooked through. Remove from griddle and set aside till able to be handled. Slice each shrimp in half height-wise.
- Brush one side of baguette slices liberally with olive oil. Grill oiled side only, about 2-3 mins.
- To serve: Top each baguette slice with 1 strip of roasted red pepper, Smoked Paprika & Cayenne Aioli to taste, 2 shrimp halves, and fresh parsley to taste. Enjoy!
Griddle Tips for Three Perfect Tapas
Getting three different tapas right on the griddle is less about multitasking and more about sequencing. Each dish wants different conditions, and the Charbroil griddle makes it surprisingly easy to dial in — here’s how we actually do it.
Start with the aioli. Make it first, get it in the fridge. It only gets better as it sits, and you don’t want to be whisking cold ingredients while your griddle is hot. Same goes for the ajo y perejil — blend it, set it aside, and don’t look at it again until the calamari are plated. The herb oil can sit at room temp.
Order matters on the griddle. We like to start with the pimientos de padron, because they’re simple and forgiving — it’s the perfect warm-up for your griddle and your timing instincts. The key is to let them actually char. A lot of people pull them too early and end up with steamed peppers. You want blisters. You want deflation. That’s when they’re done.
With the calamari, separate the tubes from the tentacles before they hit the heat. Tentacles cook faster, so keep an eye on them. Four to five minutes total on medium heat is your target — you want slight browning, not rubbery. Don’t walk away.
The shrimp go fast. One to two minutes per side and they’re done. Slice them height-wise right away while they’re still warm and they’ll sit flat on the baguette like they were born to be there.
Last thing: don’t skip the fleur de sel on the pimientos. It’s not a garnish — it’s the whole point.
Make-Ahead Tips
Good news: two of the three components can be made ahead of time.
The smoked paprika and cayenne aioli actually benefits from chilling for at least an hour before serving — the flavors meld and it loses the sharp raw-garlic edge. Make it the day before if you want. Same goes for the ajo y perejil herb oil. Blend it, pop it in the fridge (or leave it at room temp if you’re serving within a few hours), and it’s done.
The calamari, pimientos, and shrimp all want to be cooked fresh right before serving. Seafood doesn’t hold well reheated — the only exception: leftover shrimp are actually pretty good cold on a salad the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shishito peppers instead of pimientos de padron?
Yes — that’s literally in the recipe for a reason. Shishitos are essentially the American cousin of the pimientos de padron — same mild-with-occasional-heat character, same technique. They’re much easier to find at most grocery stores. A direct swap at the same quantity.
My calamari turned out rubbery. What happened?
Two likely culprits: too much time on the griddle, or starting from refrigerator-cold squid. Calamari lives in two texture zones — cook it very quickly on high heat, or low and slow for a long time. The griddle wants fast and hot, so 4-5 minutes total at medium heat is your ceiling. If it’s rubbery, it’s overcooked.
Can I make this for a crowd?
Easily scalable. The aioli and herb oil scale linearly — just multiply. For the proteins, cook in batches on the griddle and keep finished tapas warm in a low oven (200ºF). The pimientos hold well for about 15 minutes. The calamari and shrimp are best right off the griddle, so try to time those closer to serving.
PAIRINGS:
Spanish Tapas Trio
Albariño
Pilsner
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