My delicious, tasty, and quick garlic butter shrimp combines tender sauteed shrimp with rich and flavorful butter and garlic! The succulent shrimp are drenched in this flavorful sauce to make the best simple shrimp dish you’ll ever make!
Garlicky, buttery, and oh so juicy – what’s not to love about my garlic butter shrimp!
I love shrimp dishes! Especially when they’re served in a delicious garlic butter sauce, like this recipe! It’s so quick, too! This amazing garlic butter shrimp has just 3 steps and is ready in just 10 minutes! It’s the fastest weeknight dinner ever.
My savory, delectable garlic butter shrimp pairs well with so many sides! Serve over pasta, with a side of rice, or even French fries. It’s the main course everyone is going to love! Or enjoy as a tasty shrimp appetizer!
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Lightning Fast! This easy seafood recipe is done in just 10 minutes! No need for fast food when dinner can be ready so quickly!
Perfectly Seasoned! The shrimp are perfectly flavored with rich butter and garlic, and fresh, bright lemon. It complements the natural flavors of the shrimp perfectly!
Pleases Everyone! Even picky eaters will love the taste of this dish—it’s just that incredible!
🥘 Ingredients
My easy, incredible garlic butter shrimp uses just a few ingredients! You can use fresh, frozen, wild-caught, or farm-raised shrimp – check out my Tips & Recipe Notes for help!
- Butter – What makes this recipe so delicious! I recommend using a good quality European butter like Plugra or Kerrygold if you can.
- Shrimp – The star of the show! You want to make sure the shrimp are large or extra-large, peeled and deveined, and tails removed (if desired).
- Italian Seasoning – Italian seasoning adds that delicious herby flavor to the dish!
- Salt – This is according to taste. You may want to use less if you’re using salted butter.
- Pepper – Also to taste! I love a good freshly ground pepper for maximum flavor.
- Garlic – What is garlic butter shrimp without garlic? I recommend fresh minced, but you can use store-bought minced garlic if you prefer.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh is best here! Lemon juice gives the shrimp that amazing tangy bite that takes the sauce over the top. Zest your lemon before juicing for a delightful addition!
- Parsley – This is an optional garnish, but fresh chopped parsley makes this dish so beautiful!
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe is seriously so easy! Serve with a couple of quick sides and you’ll have dinner on the table in no time at all!
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- Sauté Shrimp. In a large skillet or non-stick frying pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the butter, so it doesn’t burn (See Tips & Recipe Notes).
Add 1 pound of peeled, deveined shrimp in an even layer. Next, add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. - Add Garlic. Turn the shrimp and add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic (about 2 cloves) and continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp are pink and no longer translucent. They should all have the tails curled in, be firm, and opaque (remove any shrimp whose tails do not curl in).
- Finish the Sauce. Add 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and stir to coat the shrimp and make a light sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.
My super fast and super flavorful garlic butter shrimp is the perfect quick dinner, especially when served with a side of vermicelli rice or over pasta! I also recommend accompanying the shrimp with a green vegetable like my air fryer asparagus or sauteed broccolini! Enjoy!
💭 Tips & Recipe Notes
Fresh or frozen? Wild-caught or farm-raised? I have tips!
- Did you know that frozen shrimp are typically fresher than the shrimp at the seafood counter? Unless you can verify that the fresh shrimp is fresh-off-the-boat, frozen shrimp is typically more fresh as they are frozen directly after being harvested.
- Wild caught shrimp typically have a better, sweeter flavor than farm-raised but can be more expensive, so use whatever you can get your hands on!
If your pan or stove tends to burn the butter, make sure to keep a close eye on it!
- You can also use a teaspoon of olive oil with the butter for sautéing the shrimp. This will raise the smoke point of the fat, making it harder for the butter to turn brown and burn quickly!
Preparing Your Shrimp
If you can only find shrimp that isn’t peeled or deveined, you can easily do it yourself!
- I recommend doing this process in your kitchen sink for easy cleanup. Start by defrosting the shrimp – in a bowl of cold water for about 15 minutes is best!
- If the heads are attached, pull them off the body of the shrimp. Next, using kitchen scissors or a paring knife, carefully cut down the length of the top of the shrimp’s shell. Use your fingers to remove the shell and legs. You can leave the tail on or pull it off!
- Next, using your paring knife or scissors, score down the back of the shrimp, making sure not to cut too deeply. You’ll see a black strip – that is the “vein” or the shrimp’s digestive track. Rinse it off and place the now peeled and deveined shrimp in a clean bowl. Repeat with all the shrimp, and you’re ready to cook!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you happen to have extras of this shrimp or want to make it in advance, it’ll keep in your fridge for up to 4 days! Make sure the shrimp are in an airtight container and toss after 3-4 days. They won’t be great to eat after that!
Freezing Garlic Butter Shrimp
You should never re-freeze your shrimp that was previously frozen if thawed at room temperature. If the shrimp were thawed overnight in the fridge (under 42°F/6°C) you can freeze and store as directed below.
Make sure shrimp are cooled completely (you can even put them in the fridge to cool, uncovered).
Then, place the shrimp on a baking tray in a single layer and freeze for 15-20 minutes or until hardened. Put the shrimp into freezer bags, label, and date, and they’ll last for 10 to 12 months!
When ready to defrost, simply allow the garlic butter shrimp to thaw in your fridge overnight and reheat within 24 hours.
Reheating Cooked Shrimp
Reheating shrimp is super easy! Simply put a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, and add the shrimp! Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until heated through.
You can also reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, but that can sometimes change the texture of the shrimp.
🍤 More Great Seafood Recipes
- Garlic Shrimp Alfredo Bake
- Lemon Butter Baked Cod
- Pan Seared Salmon in Wine Sauce
- Boiled Lobster
- Crab Risotto
❓ FAQ
You don’t! Even though the “vein” is the shrimp’s digestive tract, it will not harm you to eat. Larger shrimp, however, tend to have a thicker vein, which can have a gritty texture (and unappealing appearance).
For this recipe, I like to use large shrimp (16-20 count) or jumbo/colossal shrimp (13-15 count) packages of shrimp. The count is how many shrimp will come in that package, and you can adjust according to how many people you’re serving or your preference!
If you don’t want to toss your leftover shrimp shells into the trash or compost, you can make a super flavorful stock with them! Use my easy lobster stock recipe, and simply exchange the lobster shells for shrimp shells for a seafood stock that’s perfect for soups, chowders, and risottos!
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📋 Recipe
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb shrimp (large or extra large, peeled and deveined, remove tails if desired)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- parsley (optional - chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large skillet or non-stick frying pan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and seasoning (salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning) and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.4 tablespoon butter, 1 lb shrimp, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Turn the shrimp and add minced garlic, then continue to saute for 1-2 minutes until the shrimp are pink and no longer translucent.2 teaspoon garlic
- Add the lemon juice and stir to coat the shrimp. Serve immediately garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.3 tablespoon lemon juice, parsley
Notes
- If your pan cooks hot, keep a close eye on the butter to make sure it doesn't burn. Or use a teaspoon of olive oil with the butter for sauteing the shrimp.
- I like to use large shrimp (16-20 count size) or the jumbo/colossal shrimp (13-15 count size) packages of shrimp.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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