Buttery, garlicky shrimp with plenty of bright lemon is something I can never get enough of. I have a hard time resisting eating these Garlic Butter Shrimp straight out of the pan each time I cook them!
Garlic Butter Shrimp
I love shrimp. I really love garlic butter shrimp. So, in my world, eating it straight out of the pan and calling that a meal absolutely works. However, sometimes it does need to be filled out a bit for a full family meal.
What to prepare with this garlic butter shrimp recipe? In two words, pasta or rice! Served over either those with a side of steamed or roasted vegetables, this is a dinner my family will happily eat any night of the week.
Butter Garlic Shrimp
Is there anything better than shrimp sauteed in butter and garlic? I love to bite into shrimp that’s been seared to perfection while basking in a rich pool of melted butter, and infused with all that garlicky goodness.
If you’re like me, then you know the glory of lemon with garlic and butter. Each has such distinct flavor, but the combination is timeless, especially for seafood. You simply can’t go wrong with lemon garlic butter shrimp, lobster, or salmon.
Just a note about shrimp colors, some shrimp are gray when raw, and others have a natural reddish hue to them. Argentinian shrimp are completely red when raw.
It can be a little confusing in the grocery store though, as tiger prawn shrimp are the most common variety and they are completely gray until cooked.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe
You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:
- shrimp
- butter
- garlic
- salt and pepper
- lemon juice
- fresh Italian parsley
- cooked pasta or rice (optional)
Start by rinsing the shrimp with cold water in a colander. Then, line a large plate or tray with paper towels and place the shrimp on the towels. Pat dry with additional paper towels. Set aside next to the stove.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then, add the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Then, flip and cook 1-2 minutes on the other side.
Add the remaining ¼ cup butter and the lemon juice. Cook, while stirring, for another minute or so. Remove from the heat as soon as the butter has melted, taking care not to overcook the shrimp.
Taste a shrimp and add more salt and pepper or lemon juice, if desired. Sprinkle with parsley before serving over pasta or rice, if desired.
Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
Looking for more recipes like this shrimp with butter and garlic?
Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry is a skillet full of sautéed shrimp tossed in a spicy barbecue sauce with sweet chunks of pineapple and red peppers.
This is the best Shrimp Cocktail Recipe I have ever tasted. The sauce is incredibly flavorful with a perfect balance of spicy tangy heat. And, this sweet and spicy Shrimp Bell Pepper Stir Fry is fabulous.
Zesty and smoky flavors come together in this Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe. With little more than a simple marinade of fresh lime juice, chili powder, and plenty of garlic, every bite will leave you craving just one more.
This Homemade Shrimp Ramen is a quick and satisfying twist on the classic Japanese dish.
Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp has been our favorite shrimp recipe for so long now; I haven’t made a different shrimp dish in years. This is a very simple recipe that packs a lot of awesome flavor.
Spicy shrimp paired with creamy guacamole on top of a crunchy tortilla chip? Yes, please! These Chile Lime Shrimp Tostada Bites are irresistible.
Spicy sausage and tender shrimp make this Jambalaya Pasta a dinner that’ll leave everyone asking for seconds. This saucy one-pot pasta is a weeknight dinner you are going to love.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined, tails intact or removed
- ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about ½ of a medium-size lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley
- cooked pasta or rice for serving, if desired
Instructions
- Place the shrimp in a colander and rinse with cold water. Line a large plate or tray with paper towels and place the shrimp on the towels. Pat dry with additional paper towels. Set aside next to the stove.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup butter and lemon juice. Cook, while stirring, for another minute or so. Remove from the heat as soon as the butter has melted. Taking care not to overcook the shrimp.
- Taste a shrimp and add more salt and pepper or lemon juice, if desired. Sprinkle with parsley before serving over pasta or rice, if desired.
Nutrition
Tony Prato says
You know this is called Scampi, right!
Mary Younkin says
Hi, Tony. Technically this isn’t scampi, since the dish doesn’t include Parmesan cheese or white wine, but it is close. I hope you love the recipe!
Jamanda says
All the recipes look delicious and yummy
Mary Younkin says
Glad to hear that the recipes look great! I hope you love the shrimp.
Todd Wesner says
I would brine my shrimp first to keep from over cooking. Plus, they plump up more and are much more flavorful. 3T kosher salt, 2T sugar, quart of water per pound. 15 min brine.
Mary Younkin says
Great tip, Todd. Enjoy the shrimp!
Donna says
Delicious but it is 9 points without the pasta. I need to find a way to reduce the butter without affecting the taste too much.
Mary Younkin says
You can likely reduce the butter by about half without affecting the results too much. You may need to add a splash of chicken broth, if it is a bit dry.