Description
Then, a garlic butter shrimp recipe is a one-skillet dish where raw shrimp are seared in butter, then finished in a fast pan sauce built from minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice — ready in under 20 minutes with fewer than 7 ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound medium shrimp (41–50 count), peeled and deveined
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Dry and season the shrimp. Pat 1 pound of shrimp completely dry with paper towels — front, back, and between a few if they’ve clumped. Season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 4 grinds of black pepper. Wet shrimp steam instead of sear. I learned this on my first attempt, which produced pale grayish shrimp sitting in a small puddle of liquid rather than a proper browning. Pat a second time right before they go in the pan — salt draws surface moisture out within about 30–60 seconds of contact.
- Sear the shrimp. Preheat the empty 12-inch skillet over medium-high for 90 seconds before adding anything. Then melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. When the foam subsides — roughly 45–60 seconds after adding butter — add shrimp in a single layer with space between each one. Cook without touching for 1–1.5 minutes, then flip individually with tongs. Another 1–1.5 minutes on the second side. Pull them to a plate the moment they’re opaque and C-shaped. Do not let them sit in the hot pan.
- Build the garlic sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan. Once melted, add 5 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for 30–60 seconds. You want fragrant and pale gold — the moment you see any browning on the garlic edges, pull the pan off the heat for a few seconds. Brown garlic turns bitter fast and there’s no recovering it. (I had to start over twice in early attempts before I stopped multitasking during this step.)
- Recombine and finish. Return shrimp to the pan and toss to coat. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and toss for 10–15 seconds. Remove the pan from heat entirely, then stir in one additional teaspoon of cold butter until the sauce looks glossy. Taste, adjust salt, and serve immediately with 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat gently on stovetop for best results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Protein: 25