This succulent Garlic Butter Shrimp is perfect as an appetizer or as a full meal! It’s also extremely quick and easy to make and ready in less than 20 minutes. The shrimp are lovingly pan-fried in an amazing garlicky butter, with a hint of heat from red pepper flakes.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
With only a handful of ingredients, any seafood lover will be drooling over this rich, lemony garlic butter shrimp. It’s so quick and easy to make and all you need is a side of rice, and even some vegetables like green beans to make it a complete meal. If you’re in a hurry, this is the perfect recipe to make when you want to use up leftover rice.
Of course, if serving as an appetizer, they will not last long. I would leave the tails on, which is an easier way for your guests to eat them, and don’t forget lots of napkins!
If you usually keep frozen shrimp in your freezer, and with the other ingredients being basic pantry staples, you can whip this quick recipe up in less than 20 minutes. This one-pan wonder also ensures there’s barely any clean-up! To change things up, you may want to try serving the shrimp over pasta or with an amazing fresh bun or garlic toast that will help soak up some that scrumptious garlic-butter sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Oil – You’ll need some olive oil or a mild flavored oil.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter to control the amount of sodium in my dishes, but salted butter works as well.
- Garlic – Lots of fresh minced garlic. Although you can use jarred garlic, fresh makes a difference in this recipe.
- Shrimp – I use large shrimp that is shelled and deveined. You can buy either fresh or frozen. I like to keep the tails on, easier to pick up, especially if served as an appetizer, but you can definitely remove the tails.
- Salt – Add salt to taste.
- Red Pepper Flakes – A little bit of red pepper flakes will give this dish a little spice. Use as much or as little as you like.
- Lemon Juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best taste.
- Parsley – Chop some nice fresh parsley to finish off the dish.
How To Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Cook the shrimp: Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp turns pink. Season with salt. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add garlic: Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds or until aromatic. Do not burn.
- Finish the shrimp: Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice and parsley. Turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
FAQ’s
Shrimp are highly perishable, so it’s important to know how to pick out the freshest shrimp available, not just for taste and texture but also for safety. Many times you’re better off just buying frozen shrimp.
Rinse the shrimp under cold water to remove ice crystals. Place the frozen shrimp in a colander and rinse under cool running water for about 1 minute to remove any ice crystals and separate any shrimp that are frozen together. Shake the colander to remove as much excess water as possible. Place in fridge to finish thawing, up to 12 hours.
Okay, so somebody had to ask this question, right? The short answer is yes. Sometimes you will notice a thin, black string down the shrimp’s back. Although removing that string is called deveining, it is actually not a vein, It is the shrimp’s digestive tract.
Some Tips
- When buying fresh shrimp, it should not have a fishy smell. Fresh shrimp, like other seafood, should smell clean, like saltwater, or the sea.
- Press the body of the shrimp with your finger. If your finger leaves an indentation, that shrimp isn’t fresh.
- Never thaw shrimp on the counter as this can be dangerous, always thaw it in the refrigerator.
Leftovers
This garlic butter shrimp is really at it’s best when served immediately, but is perfectly fine in the fridge for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Freezer
Allow cooked shrimp to cool completely before placing in airtight freezer bags or containers, and store up to 3-4 months. When ready to use, take them directly from the freezer to your pan for reheating.
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Garlic Butter Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 pound shrimp large or jumbo, shelled
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook the shrimp:Â Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp turns pink. Season with salt. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add garlic:Â Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds or until aromatic. Do not burn.
- Finish the shrimp:Â Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice and parsley. Turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
- When buying fresh shrimp, it should not have a fishy smell. Fresh shrimp, like other seafood, should smell clean, like saltwater, or the sea.Â
- Press the body of the shrimp with your finger. If your finger leaves an indentation, that shrimp isn’t fresh.
- Never thaw shrimp on the counter as this can be dangerous, always thaw it in the refrigerator.
- Freshly cooked shrimp is really at it’s best when served immediately, but is perfectly fine in the fridge for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Allow cooked shrimp to cool completely before placing in airtight freezer bags or containers, and store up to 3-4 months. When ready to use, take them directly from the freezer to your pan for reheating.Â
Hi, can I cook the shrimp straight from frozen?
Absolutely! Just rinse the shrimp first to remove the ice crystals then try and pat it dry as much as possible with some paper towels. Then simply saute it as instructed or if anything you might need an extra 30 seconds, this will actually give you much more tender and juicier shrimp.
This was fantastic! I love Shrimp Scampi and thought this would be similar, but the amount of lemon with the butter at the end gave it a completely different taste. So good! My daughter hates shrimp dishes… and she has seconds. : )
Have not this yet, although I plan to………..question: could I pan fry Cod and use this as a finishing sauce, making the sauce in the pan with the fish just as you did the shrimp?
For sure, that sauce would be wonderful on pan fried cod!