If you're looking for quick and delicious dinner ideas, you NEED to try this easy recipe for Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp. This simple skillet meal is ready in less than 15 minutes, packed with flavor, and super versatile!
Featuring simple ingredients, succulent shrimp, and a silky lemon garlic butter sauce, you'll want to keep this one in CONSTANT rotation.
Cooking at home can be so difficult when you're balancing all of the things and wearing all of the hats. I totally get that, and in fact, this common conundrum is exactly why I started this recipe website so many years ago!
One of the secrets I've learned along the way is that shrimp is probably the quickest path to dinner throughout the busy weeknights. Shrimp cook in just 5-6 minutes, taste fabulous, and are packed with protein. It's our favorite way to have dinner in a hurry (while skipping the drive-thru).
This lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe is one of those that ends up on repeat. A buttery lemon sauce, juicy shrimp, and a generous amount of garlic tickle the taste buds just right. Serve it with some cooked rice, quinoa, or pasta for a satisfying end to an exhausting day.
Why You'll Love It:
- Quick and easy. With less than 15 minutes from start to finish, this meal is perfect for busy weeknights. Shrimp cooks SO fast!
- Versatile. Serve with pasta, rice, steamed veggies, or whatever your heart desires. This dish is light, lovely, and pairs perfectly with almost anything.
- The BEST flavor. Lemon, garlic, butter – need I say more?
Ingredients
- Shrimp: I recommend using raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Large shrimp work best (about 31-35 per pound), and we like them with the tails on, but if you prefer to purchase them without, that's totally fine! If using frozen shrimp, make sure it is thawed first.
- Garlic: You'll need a good amount of minced garlic! On busy nights, you can go ahead and use "jarlic" (AKA preminced), but for special occasions, go ahead and use fresh garlic.
- Lemon: A medium lemon should be enough to get both the zest and juice needed for this recipe.
- Butter and oil: You may be surprised to see both butter and oil used. This is because butter burns quickly over medium-high heat, and so by adding the oil, you still get all of the deliciousness of butter - without the scorched taste.
You will also need:
- Shallot (or minced onion)
- Black pepper
- Salt (to taste)
How to Make Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Saute aromatics. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add minced garlic and shallot (or onion). Saute just until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp. Increase the heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shrimp in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to ensure even cooking.
- Add the lemon. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and add some lemon zest.
- Continue to cook. Stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp are light pink, opaque, and the tails are curled inwards. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (if desired).
What to Serve it With:
- Angel hair pasta
- White rice
- Quinoa
- Cauliflower rice
- Mashed cauliflower
- Couscous
- Zucchini noodles
- Rice noodles
- Mashed potatoes
- Fettuccine (or pasta of choice)
- Low carb pasta
On the Side:
- Crusty bread
- Fresh salad
- Steamed veggies (green beans, broccoli, etc)
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Baby potatoes (try my rosemary potatoes – they are delish!)
- Dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc)
Flavor Variations
Shrimp scampi: Add a little white wine to the sauce, and this recipe can be converted into an easy DIY shrimp scampi. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for an added kick.
Cilantro lime: Swap the lemon for lime and add a generous sprinkling of fresh cilantro, and suddenly you have a whole new dish! I like to add in a little honey and chili powder too (check out my cilantro lime shrimp recipe for more inspiration).
Creamy lemon garlic sauce: Remove the cooked shrimp, leaving the liquid in the saucepan. Add ¼ cup of heavy cream and stir, cooking over medium heat, until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the shrimp back in and stir to coat them in the sauce.
Dietary Substitutions
- Dairy-free: Use your favorite plant-based butter instead of the butter used in this recipe.
- Gluten-free: The recipe as written is gluten-free! Keep it gluten-free by serving it with rice, rice noodles, or your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Low carb or keto: This recipe has just 4 net carbs per serving, making it a great option for those who choose to eat low carb.
Top Tips:
- Don't overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cooks VERY quickly, and can become rubbery if it cooks for too long. It's done when it's pink, the tails curl, and each piece is opaque (no translucent spots remain).
- Thaw the shrimp first. If using frozen shrimp, it's important to thaw it in advance. Pour off any excess liquid that collects during thawing.
- Pat dry. To reduce sizzling in the pan (and watering down of the sauce), I recommend that you pat your shrimp dry with paper towel before cooking.
More Easy Skillet Recipes:
If you loved this recipe for Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter* salted
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic about 4-5 cloves
- 1 small shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons) (or minced white onion)
- 1 tablespoon oil avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 12 ounces raw shrimp tail-on, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 medium lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Fresh parsley finely chopped (for garnish) (optional)
Instructions
- Add the butter to a medium skillet set over medium heat.
- Once the butter melts, add in the minced garlic and shallot. Saute just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Drizzle in the oil, and stir gently to combine the butter and oil. Using a combination of butter and oil prevents the butter from burning, while still benefiting from all of the deliciousness it has to offer.
- Increase the heat slightly, then add in the raw shrimp. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt (to taste). Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp begins to turn pink (but is not quite opaque). Stir frequently to ensure even cooking.
- Sprinkle in the lemon zest and pour in the lemon juice, stir well, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp are light pink, the tails are curled in, and they are completely opaque. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, which can cause them to become rubbery.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the fresh parsley (if desired). Serve hot over rice, quinoa, cooked pasta, or just as-is.
Notes
Nutrition
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Dorothy Bigelow
This recipe is SO easy, and we love to make it when the choice is either a quick home dinner or the drive-thru. It's ready in less than 15 minutes. We love to serve it over instant mashed potatoes when in a hurry, or fluffy quinoa when we have more time to cook.