Garlic Butter Shrimp Skillet Recipe

This go-to shrimp recipe for Garlic Butter Shrimp Skillet makes an easy and quick meal or appetizer that looks fancy.

In just a few minutes, your shrimp will be perfectly cooked with garlic butter seasoning, making this a perfect dinner recipe for weeknight and entertaining.

How do I prepare shrimp?

For a quicker meal, use shrimp that is peeled and deveined. It may cost a little more, but will save you a lot of prep time. If you use shrimp that needs to be cleaned first, you will have a few extra steps before cooking.

1. Defrost the shrimp overnight in a bowl of cool water in the refrigerator.
2. As an option, you can soak the shrimp in salt water for a short time to refresh them after being thawed.
3. Wash the shrimp and discard any that look slimy or discolored.
4. Pull off the legs and continue pulling back the shell, then remove the tail.
5. Cut down the back of the shrimp and pull out the black vein. To remove the vein easily, slide a toothpick underneath to help lift the vein up and out.
6. Allow the shrimp to soak in cold water until you are ready to use them.

What do I need to make garlic butter shrimp?

This garlic butter sauce brings this shrimp recipe to another level. So, you can use as much butter and garlic as you wish. Ingredients here and on the recipe card below:

• Olive oil — I like using extra virgin olive oil but you can use a neutral oil of your choice.
• Shrimp — raw, peeled, and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic — I prefer freshly minced garlic over buying pre-minced.
• Butter — I recommend unsalted grass-fed butter. You can swap for Ghee if you’re doing Whole30
• Italian seasoning
• Juice of 1 lemon — or more, to taste. Citrus always add more flavour to a seafood dish.
• Fresh parsley — or herb of your choice. Cilantro and basil work as well.
• Optional: add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat. You can also add some ground onions. But for me only salt and pepper with the garlic butter sauce is already enough and very flavorful.

How do you make this shrimp recipe with raw shrimp?

1. Thaw shrimp completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the shrimp and season well.
3. Cook until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Depending on the size of the shrimp, it should only take four to five minutes to cook fully. Optional, squeeze some lime juice or lemon juice at the end, before serving. If the shrimp start turning white, they are overcooked. Over cooked shrimp will be rubbery, so don’t let them cook too long.

Is shrimp good for weight loss?

Shrimp contains lots of lean healthy protein and very little fat and calories. It’s a great source of selenium and vitamin D as well. Because it’s packed with a variety of B vitamins, it’s a food that will keep you energized for hours.

Shrimp can help lower bad cholesterol and has no carbs. This means it’s great for a keto, Whole30 or other low carb diet, like my Garlic Shrimp and Veggies Meal Prep Bowls.

In addition to being healthy and delicious, shrimp recipes like this Garlic Butter Shrimp Skillet are very quick and easy to make.

What goes well with this shrimp recipe?

This perfectly seasoned garlic butter shrimp needs side dishes to create a complete meal and a light dinner. Try any of these with the shrimp:

• Pasta
• Roasted asparagus
• Tacos (Think about delicious shrimp tacos)​
• Salad (I love shrimp salad)
• Tomato salad
• Carrot Quinoa Salad
• Rice or cauliflower rice
• Fried rice or cauliflower fried rice
• Sweet potatoes and green beans

How long can I store this meal?

This shrimp recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, or you can freeze the shrimp after cooking it and allowing it to cool.

It will last in the freezer for about three months. Be sure to use an airtight container so the shrimp doesn’t take on any odors from the fridge.

To reheat the meal, you can toss it in a pan over low heat. If it has been frozen, be sure to thaw it before reheating. Shrimp does not reheat well in the microwave.

Fresh or frozen shrimp? Which is better?

Both fresh or frozen shrimp is a great source of protein. However, wild frozen shrimp are preferred because they are frozen immediately upon catching.

The shelf life for frozen shrimp is also longer compared to fresh shrimp as you won’t know for sure how long fresh shrimp has been at the fish counter at the grocery store.

Wild caught shrimp also has a cleaner, shrimp-y flavor than farmed shrimp.

Frozen shrimp also costs less than fresh shrimp if you are on a budget. If you are purchasing fresh shrimp then check the shells and if they feel soft or slimy, skip them.

How do I quickly thaw shrimp?

If you’ve forgotten to thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge, not to worry! You can quickly thaw it by placing frozen shrimp into a bowl or colander in the sink.

Then run cold water over it for 5 to 10 minutes, giving it a shake every so often so the water can thaw the shrimp evenly. It will take longer if your shrimp are larger. Small shrimp take much less time to thaw.

After the shrimp has thawed, you’ll have to pat them dry with a paper towel or the shrimp will steam instead of sear in the pan. This step is very important to get a nice colour on the shrimp.

Did you thaw too much shrimp? Store them in the fridge and try any of these 35 healthy shrimp dinner recipes the next day!

What pan should I use?

I like to use a cast-iron skillet but a non-stick pan will work as well. I find that cast -ron gives the shrimp a nicer sear.

More Easy Shrimp Recipes to Try:

• Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Skillet
• Super Fresh Shrimp Tomato Salad
• Cajun Shrimp
• Shrimp Vegetable Skillet
• Easy Coconut Shrimp