Jump to RecipeJuicy sautéed shrimp cooked in a flavorful lemon garlic butter sauce. Perfect for an appetizer at your next party, or as a main course. Garlic Butter Shrimp is a quick and easy recipe, that will be ready in 20 minutes or less-start to finish!
THE BEST 20 MINUTE GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP
Hopefully, we have built enough trust by now that you believe me when I tell you that this recipe for Garlic Butter Shrimp is hands down THE easiest and MOST delicious one I have tried! We are talking garlic, butter, lemon, and shrimp– what’s not to love?!
With only a handful of ingredients needed, any seafood lover or even non-seafood lover will be drooling over this rich, lemony garlic butter shrimp. This is perfect for a no-fuss weeknight dinner alongside vegetables and rice, pasta, or even just a craggy baguette to deftly soak up that succulent shrimp-flavored lemon butter sauce. But to be honest, I’m thinking of making it as an appetizer at my next party!
How to Video:
Ingredients for 20 Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Shrimp: I used a Large size, 31/41 count per pound. Any size will do, although the cooking time might need to be adjusted. Shrimp with the tail on or off is a personal preference, but do make sure the shrimp is deveined and peeled.
- Garlic: I used about 6 or 7 cloves of minced garlic, which added up to 2 tbsp.
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. I only used the juice from 1/2 of a lemon.
- Butter: unsalted preferably
- Olive oil: a good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Seasoning: To season the shrimp before searing, use a combination of kosher salt, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, and paprika.
- Parsley: Freshly chopped parsley leaves for garnish and pop of bright green color.
How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl.
Add seasoning: salt, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, paprika. Toss to coat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it melts. Add the shrimp in a single layer and let cook undisturbed for 1 minute.
With tongs or a wide spatula, turn over the shrimp. Cook for another minute on the opposite side.
Add another 2 tbsp, of butter to melt. Add garlic. DO NOT BURN GARLIC! Add lemon juice and let the lemon butter sauce simmer for about 1 minute and remove the skillet from heat.
Top with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Make sure you serve with something to soak up that amazing garlic butter sauce!
Tips for Success:
- Pat Shrimp Dry with paper towels: If your shrimp is wet, the dry seasoning won’t adhere as well, and you won’t be able to sear it either. A dry surface is more likely to crisp, brown, and caramelize. Moisture on the surface must evaporate before browning can happen.
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice. Always opt for freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than the bottled kind whenever possible.
- Don’t Overcook the Shrimp. As soon as they turn opaque and curl up a bit, they’re good to go. It takes fewer than 5 minutes, so make sure you are ready.
- Prep Your Ingredients. Remember, this is a quick recipe! Shrimp doesn’t take long to cook at all. Make sure that you have the ingredients, along with any cooking utensils like a large spoon and a big plate for when you remove the shrimp from the skillet, in easy reach.
- Cast Iron: I love using Cast Iron skillet for this recipe! It’s a great choice for nonstick and even heat distribution.
20 Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lbs large raw shrimp peeled and deveined, with/without tail
- 2 tbsp garlic minced about 6 cloves
- 3 tbsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 4 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ cup chopped parsley fresh
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl.
- Add seasoning: salt, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, paprika. Toss to coat.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it melts. Add the shrimp in a single layer and let cook undisturbed for 1 minute. With tongs or a wide spatula, turn over the shrimp. Cook for another minute on opposite side.
- Add another 2 tbsp, of butter to melt. Add garlic. DO NOT BURN GARLIC! Add lemon juice and let the lemon butter sauce simmer for about 1 minute and remove the skillet from heat.
- Top with fresh parsley and serve warm.
