This easy garlic butter shrimp is succulent shrimp tossed in an easy garlic and lemon sauce. The perfect quick dinner or appetizer!
If you love garlic, you’ll love these lemony, garlicky shrimp which are on the table in less than 10 minutes.
In my opinion, sometimes the most simple preparations of food can be the most delicious. You don’t need to add a whole lot to shrimp to turn them into a culinary delight. These garlic butter shrimp have just a few ingredients and can be on the table in minutes. They’re packed with flavor and perfect served as-is or over pasta.
How to make garlic butter shrimp
To make garlic butter shrimp, I recommend buying the biggest shrimp you can afford. Shrimp size is measured by the number of shrimp per pound. For this recipe I typically use extra jumbo shrimp, which are 16-20 shrimp per pound.
The shrimp get tossed in a pan with plenty of butter, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Be sure to use fresh minced garlic here, not the stuff that comes in a jar. It just doesn’t taste the same! I also add a sprinkling of Italian seasoning for good measure.
These garlic butter shrimp cook very quickly – all you need is about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the size of your shrimp. As soon as the shrimp turn pink and opaque, they’re done. Be sure to watch carefully so that the shrimp don’t get overcooked!
The finishing touch as a sprinkling of fresh parsley, and you’re ready to eat! These garlic butter shrimp are great served over pasta or rice, and they even make a great appetizer.
Is it healthy to eat shrimp?
Shrimp contains a fair amount of cholesterol, but they’re very low in calories and full of nutrients. Shrimp are a great source of vitamin D and B, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. In this particular case, the shrimp are coated in butter, which is not the most healthful way to prepare shrimp, but everything in moderation, right?
I give a range of garlic amounts in this recipe. If you’re a garlic lover, go for the larger amount of garlic! My husband is sensitive to garlic, so I tend to go a little easier on it, but I know some people can’t get enough!
I always keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer so that I can whip up these garlic butter shrimp for an easy dinner.
Whenever I post photos of shrimp with the tails on, I always get a lot of questions and commentary about it. I tend to think that shrimp look nicer with the tails on, but if you’re just looking for a quick dinner and aren’t out to impress anyone, by all means remove the tails before cooking! It’s really a personal choice depending on the presentation that you’re going for.
More great shrimp recipes
Garlic Butter Shrimp Video
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb large shrimp I use 16-20 count size, peeled, deveined and tails removed if desired
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2-3 teaspoons minced garlic use more if you love garlic!
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place the butter in a large pan and melt over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink and opaque.
- Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then serve.
Colette says
Can you use olive oil instead of butter?
Sara says
Yes that should work!
Joanna says
Hi! Planning to make this tonight, but just wondering, is it possible to use pre-cooked frozen shrimp to make this?
Sara says
It should be ok but you’ll have to be really careful to just warm the pre-cooked shrimp rather than sear them, otherwise they could get overcooked and tough.
Todd says
Great shrimp recipe. I made it just as described and plan to make again.
Staci says
Easy and delicious! I added some red pepper flakes for a kick, but followed the recipe otherwise as is. Loved by everyone!
Cruz says
I made a person that hates shrimp and hasn’t liked any shrimp he’s had and I made this and he asked for more I was pretty surprised and happy and made me feel good I can make a great meal in 15 or less
Jealith says
Love the recipe and make it quite often.
Michele Rigby says
Do you thaw the frozen shrimp?
Sara says
Yes you would thaw frozen shrimp!
Sylvia says
I only have precooked shrimp, which I need to use up, do you think this recipe would still work?
Sara says
You’d just want to cook them very quickly so that they’re warmed through!
Stephanie says
This is a ballpark hit, I’ve already made it 2x in one week! I’ve put my little spin on it, but absolutely phenomenal and fool proof! Thank you for this recipe. As a Mom of 4 young children, you look for recipes that are tasty, fun and crowd pleasing.
Elsie Miranda says
What’s your spin on it?
Brenda Hines says
I made this for my son, who loved it and devoured it in no time. I paired it with Jazmine rice. I didn’t have any lemons or lemon juice, but I did have lime juice, so I substituted that. The dish was a big hit and turned out so delish. Thank you for sharing this
Michelle says
Wow. This is so delicious and easy to make. I put it on top of pasta with Parmesan cheese and chopped bacon. I also used all fresh herbs from the garden. Thank you!
Maryfer says
This shrimp recipe has been the best one i have tried so far, so juicy and delicious,, and the best part is that its easy , not complicated at all
Pamela says
Turned out delicious. Thanks for the super yummy super easy recipe.
María B says
I LOVED IT, this is my first time ever leaving a comment on a recipe! , can’t go wrong with this dish! ❤️
Kev says
Easy peas and very tasty
J says
Is this for raw or pre-cooked shrimp?
Sara says
The recipe calls for raw shrimp.
Danny Benson says
They don’t get much simpler than this, but man, is it delicious! Other than the very infrequent shrimp/crawfish boil (I’m a Louisiana guy transplanted to Georgia), it’s the only way I’ve been cooking shrimp lately. Usually with steak, and what a pairing! My kids, who are picky as heck, all love this with the exception of my oldest daughter who, as much as she loves the beach, would never eat anything from it. Thanks for putting this out there!
Randi says
Soooo good!! Thank you!
Sam says
Easy , delicious 😋
KarenB says
Do you think this would go with baked potatoes as a side dish? I always do linguine or fettuccine with shrimp, but didn’t want a pasta dish tonight and already started baking the potatoes. Lol. Was going to use up all of my seafood I had thrown in the freezer, but realized salmon, scallops, and shrimp were way too much. So I just thawed out the shrimp
Sara says
Yes that should work well!
Elizabeth Crawford says
It was a hit tonight! I did use the jar minced garlic, still good.