I’ve been making this Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe for years, and it’s still one of the fastest dinners I reach for on a busy weeknight. From start to finish, it takes about 10 minutes, and the sauce (rich, garlicky, with a bright pop of lemon) is so good. If you’ve been nervous about cooking shrimp at home, this recipe will change that completely. It’s one of those dishes that looks and tastes like something from a restaurant but couldn’t be simpler to pull together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is one of those recipes I keep coming back to because it just works every single time. It’s ready in 10 minutes from start to finish, which makes it my go-to on those weeknights when I want something that feels special but I genuinely don’t have the energy for anything complicated. Pierre and Thomas never complain when this shows up on the table, and honestly, that says everything.
The sauce is the real star here. Butter, garlic, and fresh lemon is one of the most naturally perfect flavour combinations for seafood. It’s rich and bright at the same time, and it’s good enough that you’ll want something on the plate to soak it all up.
Which brings me to the best part: this recipe is incredibly versatile. I love serving it over fluffy rice or pasta so the garlic butter sauce soaks right in and becomes part of the dish.
My garlic shrimp spaghetti is a natural next step if you want a heartier meal. For a lighter option, roasted asparagus is my favourite pairing. It roasts in the same amount of time, so everything hits the table together.
And if you want something fresh and colourful, toss the cooked shrimp into my shrimp avocado tomato salad. It’s a combination I keep making all summer long.
This garlic butter shrimp recipe also works beautifully as an appetizer. I’ve made a double batch for guests more than once, served it straight from the skillet with crusty bread for dipping, and it disappears within minutes.
Key Ingredients
Large raw shrimp — I always use large shrimp (labeled 31/40 on the package, which means 31–40 shrimp per pound). This size cooks evenly in about 2 minutes per side and holds up beautifully in the butter sauce. Make sure they’re raw, not pre-cooked. Pre-cooked shrimp will turn rubbery before the sauce even has a chance to coat them. I buy mine peeled and deveined to save time, but if you find whole shrimp at your fishmonger, shell-on cooking actually adds more flavor.
Pro tip: If you’re using frozen shrimp, seal them in a zip-lock bag and submerge in cold water for about 20 minutes, changing the water once halfway through.
Unsalted butter — I always use unsalted. It gives you full control over the salt level and lets the natural flavour of the garlic come through without competing. I love using grass-fed butter here because the richer flavour really shows in a simple sauce like this. If you only have salted butter on hand, just hold back on adding salt to the shrimp before cooking.
Fresh garlic — Freshly minced garlic is one of those things I won’t compromise on in this recipe. The flavour difference compared to jarred pre-minced is significant — fresh garlic is sharper, more aromatic, and it blooms beautifully in the hot pan. I use 3–4 cloves, minced fine. In a real pinch you can substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder, but I’d encourage you to reach for the fresh bulb.
Olive oil — I start the shrimp in olive oil (or avocado oil) rather than butter, because butter can burn at the high heat needed to sear shrimp properly. The butter goes in after, which is how you get both a good sear and that silky sauce.
Lemon juice — Always fresh, squeezed right over the pan. Bottled lemon juice has a flat, almost metallic undertone that you’ll notice in a sauce this simple. Half a lemon is usually perfect, but I always have the other half sliced into wedges for serving.
Optional add-ins: A pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. A small splash of dry white wine added before the butter creates a slightly deeper, more restaurant-style sauce.
Step 1 — Pat the shrimp completely dry. This step matters more than people think. Moisture on the surface of the shrimp creates steam in the pan, which means the shrimp will cook but won’t sear. Patting them dry with paper towels before they go in is what gives you that slightly golden, caramelized edge that makes a real difference in flavour. Season well with salt and pepper after drying.
First: Heat your skillet. I love a cast iron skillet here because it holds heat evenly and gives you a beautiful sear, until the oil is shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer and leave them alone for about 2 minutes.
Second: Let them sit so they can develop colour on the bottom. You’ll know they’re ready to flip when they’ve turned pink about halfway up the side. Flip each one and cook for another minute, just until opaque. Set them aside on a plate.
Next: Lower the heat slightly and add the minced garlic to the same pan. Cook for just about 1 minute, stirring a few times, garlic can burn quickly. When it’s fragrant and just starting to turn golden at the edges, add the butter and let it melt. Add the Italian seasoning and squeeze in the lemon juice.
Then: Add the shrimp back into the pan and toss gently to coat everything in the sauce. Cook for just 1 more minute, you’re warming them through, not cooking them again. Serve your garlic butter shrimp immediately with fresh parsley and lemon wedges on the side.
Tips for the Best Garlic Butter Shrimp
Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you’re doubling the recipe, cook the shrimp in two batches. Crowding drops the pan temperature and the shrimp will steam instead of sear. I’ve learned this the hard way!
Watch the garlic closely. After the shrimp are removed, the residual heat in the pan is high. Keep stirring the garlic and pull it off or lower the heat before it browns too deeply.
Shrimp cooks fast — and gets rubbery even faster. The moment the shrimp is opaque and just curled into a loose “C” shape, it’s done. An “O” shape means overcooked. I set a timer for 2 minutes per side and trust it.
Fresh lemon beats bottled every time. In a sauce this simple, each ingredient matters. Fresh lemon or lime juice has a brightness that bottled just can’t replicate.
Keep the tails on if serving as an appetizer. Tails make for easy finger food and add a bit of visual elegance to the presentation.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil extra virgin
- 1 lb shrimp raw, peeled and deveined
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Juice of 1 lemon or more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp, salt and pepper. Cook until pink for about 3 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally. Set aside.
- Add garlic to the skillet, and cook and stir few times for about 1 minute. Add butter, Italian seasoning and lemon juice.
- Stir in shrimp and gently toss everything to combine. Cook for another minute. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Made the garlic butter shrimp last night. Nice added touch to our Caesar Salad !
That’s perfect!
Delicious it food
Happy you liked it!
Love it 💕.
Happy you liked it!
Made this recipe with precooked frozen shrimp, with Olivia’s help, it turned out great!
Karen, I’m so happy that it turned out great for you!! Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback 😉
turned out great. added 2 TB of capers and served over couscous
will add to rotation
Amazing!