You’re just 20 minutes away from juicy Garlic Butter Shrimp! Be sure to grab a hunk of bread to soak up that flavorful lemon garlic butter sauce—you’re not going to want to waste one single drop.
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5 Star Review
“I made this for dinner today. My husband finished everything on his plate, including all the sauce. It is definitely a keeper.”
— Dolly —
Why You’ll Love This Easy Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe
- It’s Simply Spectacular. Decadent, flavorful, and just as delicious (and, in my opinion, better) than any garlic butter shrimp from a restaurant, this versatile one-pan shrimp recipe is one of the BEST things to come out of my kitchen.
- Features One of My Favorite Proteins. Shrimp is lean and high in protein, plus they take only minutes to cook. Every time I make shrimp for dinner, I wonder why I don’t make it more often!
- Incredibly Easy to Make. I know that cooking with seafood might sound fancy, but please believe me that it is not. Like my Mediterranean Shrimp, this garlic butter shrimp is appropriate for beginners (same with all of the easy shrimp recipes you’ll find on my site).
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Shrimp. Since I don’t live in an area with easy access to freshly caught shrimp, I prefer to buy shrimp frozen. Since it’s frozen shortly after being caught, it is often better quality (for a better price) than what is sitting behind our seafood case.
- Unsalted Butter. It’s not garlic butter shrimp without it!
- Garlic. A BFF flavor with shrimp. Sometimes less is more, but when it comes to garlic and shrimp, I (and Garlic Shrimp Pasta) say, more is more!
- Lemon. Always opt for freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than the bottled kind whenever possible. It’s worth it, I promise.
- White Wine. For the butter garlic shrimp white wine, choose a dry wine, such as sauvignon blanc, and make sure it tastes good enough to drink with dinner. If you prefer to make garlic butter shrimp without wine, you can swap for chicken stock instead.
- Red Pepper. A pinch wakes up the shrimp but won’t overpower it. If you prefer a spicy garlic butter shrimp (with heat like this Spicy Shrimp Pasta), feel free to add additional cayenne or red pepper flakes to taste. Garlic butter shrimp with paprika is another fun way to add some spice without it being too hot.
- Fresh Herbs. Don’t be tempted by dry. They won’t have the same marvelous results. A handful of fresh parsley and a sprig of thyme or rosemary do wonders for this recipe.
- Choice of Side. Rice, linguine, grits—no matter your side, you really can’t go wrong.
How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
Dry the Shrimp (photo 1). Paper towels work well for this.
Add the Seasonings. Toss to coat.
Melt the Butter. Add the shallot.
Cook the Shrimp (photo 2). Flip and cook on the other side.
Add the Wine and Garlic (photo 3). Continue cooking.
Stir in the Remaining Ingredients (photo 4). Serve immediately with lemon wedges. ENJOY!
What Goes Well With Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Rice. Make a side of brown rice, white rice, or Lemon Rice, and spoon the shrimp and sauce over the top for garlic butter shrimp and rice. Cauliflower rice is an excellent low-carb option. (Quinoa would also be tasty!)
- Veggies. Garlic butter shrimp and veggies are a perfect match! Grilled Broccoli, Roasted Broccolini, and Air Fryer Asparagus would taste fabulous with this garlic butter sauce.
- Bread. A few slices of No Knead Focaccia or Rosemary Olive Oil Bread to mop up the cooking liquid will instantly make any night feel special.
- Pasta. When it comes to what side dishes go best with shrimp, pasta is at the top of the list. Pasta Primavera or Lemon Pasta would be absolutely scrumptious with this shrimp.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Video
This easy garlic butter shrimp with lemon and wine is cooked in a skillet in just 20 minutes. Great with pasta, baguette, grits, or rice!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 small shallot minced
- ½ cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or thyme optional but definitely worthwhile!
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- cooked rice, pasta, grits, or toasted bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it melts. Add the shallot and let cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until it just begins to soften. Add the shrimp in a single layer and let cook undisturbed for 1 minute. With tongs or a wide spatula, turn over the shrimp.
- Add the wine and garlic. Cook until the shrimp are no longer translucent and the wine has reduced by half, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Zest the lemon directly over the skillet, then cut the lemon in half. Juice half of the lemon over the top and slice the other half into wedges for serving. Add the rosemary and parsley, then toss to combine. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- TO STORE: Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Cooked shrimp are typically best enjoyed the day they are made but can be reheated very gently in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat covered with a lid. Note that shrimp tend to dry out easily when reheated, so warm them slowly and gently and keep a close eye on them for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 3)Calories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 22gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 221mgSodium: 1252mgPotassium: 332mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1107IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 1mg
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