This lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe is an easy, light and healthy dinner cooked in one pan that can be ready to eat in under 15 minutes.
This is my type of recipe. Why? Because it has minimal ingredients and does in fact take hardly any time to make. Oh and it's good for you!
I mean what more could you ask for when it comes to a dinner recipe? Honestly the part that takes the longest is just peeling and deveining the shrimp. After that you're golden.
The sauce in this is simple but tasty with melted butter, garlic, a little heat from crushed red pepper flakes and lemon which compliments the flavor of shrimp.
I feel like shrimp and lemon go together like peas and carrots! You can't have one without the other. I'm not going to lie though, I love me some garlic so sometimes I add even more but realize that's not for everyone.
Either way, you'll be surprised how much flavor is packed in this lemon garlic shrimp, so give it a try. And if you like lemon in savory dishes, this honey garlic salmon or baked lemon cod are great options. And while lemon isn't a main ingredient in beer battered halibut, it does complement it!
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Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - the base for the sauce.
- Shrimp - fresh is always better.
- Salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper - enhances the flavor.
- Garlic - can't have garlic shrimp without garlic.
- Lemon - use fresh lemons.
- Italian parsley - adds some freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Season peeled and deveined shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in even layer and cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip shrimp and garlic and crush red pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque.
- Stir in remaining butter, lemon juice and some parsley. Serve immediateely.
Best Side Options
As far as vegetables I think some roasted asparagus complements the shrimp perfectly. Just toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400°F for 8-10 minutes.
If you want some carbs, couscous with pesto works great. Just cook your couscous according to instructions and then stir in some pesto.
Another favorite over the summer is a grilled corn salad. But at the end of the day these shrimp are just as good on their own.
FAQs
Shrimp gets a bad rap sometimes due to high cholesterol, but research shows that only a small percent of people are sensitive to dietary cholesterol.
Shrimp has ton of benefits, including being low in calories, rich in nutrients and high in antioxidants.
If you've never peeled and deveined shrimp I suggest watching this video from Epicurious.
When properly cooked, the exterior of the shrimp should be pink with red tails and the flesh is slightly opaque and a little “white” in color. It only takes about 2 minutes per side in a pan to cook shrimp.
Shrimp is one of those things that is best right after cooking but you can reheat. You want to reheat over low heat so they don't become rubbery. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with the sauce until warmed through.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use wild shrimp when possible. It is healthier for you and just tastes better.
- Add cold butter to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the shrimp. You’ll know it is ready when the butter starts to shimmer.
- Shrimp cook quickly so cook two minutes per side or until pink and opaque. If you cook too long, shrimp will be tough.
- While store-bought bottles can be quite convenient, they lack in flavor compared to the real thing. It really isn’t that much extra work to freshly squeeze the lemon and you’ll notice a difference in flavor.
Other Shrimp Recipes
- Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
- Teriyaki Shrimp
- Creamy Shrimp and Grits
- Blackened Shrimp
If you’ve tried this lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, divided
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes per side or until shrimp are pink and opaque. When you flip the shrimp add garlic and crushed red pepper.
- Stir in remaining 2 tablespoon butter, lemon juice and parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use wild shrimp when possible. It is healthier for you and just tastes better.
- Add cold butter to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the shrimp. You’ll know it is ready when the butter starts to shimmer.
- Shrimp cook quickly so cook two minutes per side or until pink and opaque. If you cook too long, shrimp will be tough.
- While store-bought bottles can be quite convenient, they lack in flavor compared to the real thing. It really isn’t that much extra work to freshly squeeze the lemon and you’ll notice a difference in flavor.
Chris says
Nice recipe!