Sautéed Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp (2023)

This easy sautéed lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe is a 15-minute weeknight meal. It's full of flavor and very easy to make. There's not much that can go wrong with this dish. You can also serve this lemon garlic butter shrimp with some pasta and freshly grated parmesan. A simple chopped salad compliments this dish too, like this Persian Shirazi Salad.

Anytime you put garlic and butter in the same sentence, I'm sold like this Roasted Steelhead Trout Recipe with Lime Garlic Butter Sauce. This lemon garlic shrimp recipe is great for fresh shrimp (or previously frozen). I don't recommend using pre-cooked shrimp for this delicious dinner.

What I Love About This Recipe

This is one of the easiest shrimp recipes ever. The buttery lemon garlic sauce has the best flavor, and this can hit the dinner table within 15 minutes flat.

This easy lemon garlic shrimp is a great go-to recipe for busy weeknights. Not to mention, it is so dang delicious. I haven't had a single person not love this sautéed lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe.

Ingredient Notes

• Large Shrimp or Prawn: The best shrimp for this lemon garlic butter shrimp is jumbo shrimp, large shrimp, or prawn. Prawns are similar to jumbo shrimp but a little larger and meatier in texture. Prawns are very common in Southeast Asia. I recommend high-quality wild-caught fresh raw shrimp to make the very best lemon garlic butter shrimp. Also, make sure to use uncooked shrimp.
• Olive oil: I add just a little bit of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. My favorite olive oil right now is the Whole Foods 365 unfiltered Greek extra virgin olive oil.
• Fresh garlic: For a delicious garlicky sauce, use fresh garlic cloves.
• Kerrygold butter: My favorite butter is Kerrygold butter. You can find it in many US grocery stores and at Costco (it looks like below). It has a very nice flavor for cooking.

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

How To Make Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

Wash and devein the shrimp. Remove the tail and outer shell.

Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel.

Slice the end off the garlic cloves. In a bowl, add the fresh garlic cloves and some salt.

Mash the garlic with a pestle. Alternatively, use a garlic press to finely mince the garlic. A third option is to finely mince the garlic with a chef's knife and cutting board. Set the mashed garlic aside.

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Add the olive oil and butter to a large skillet on medium-high heat.

Place the deveined shrimp in a single layer (if possible) on the skillet. Add some freshly cracked black pepper and salt.

Once the shrimp has changed colors on the bottom side (after about 1 to 2 minutes), add the mashed garlic to the pan by moving some of the shrimp.

Flip each of the shrimp over one by one. Squeeze fresh lemon juice as the shrimp cooks.

Cover the nonstick skillet with a lid for the shrimp to cook through (about 2 to 3 minutes). The shrimp is finished once the color has changed on all sides.

Add lemon wedges and some chopped fresh parsley on top to garnish. Serve this succulent shrimp with some roasted potatoes, pasta, steamed couscous, or rice.

Tips and Tricks

Don't overcook the shrimp. Sautéed shrimp does not take long to cook. Once the shrimp has changed colors on all sides, it needs just a minute or two more for it to be completely cooked through. If the shrimp is overcooked, the texture will become rubbery.

Use large to medium shrimp. Don't use small-sized shrimp.

I recommend using fresh garlic to make the lemon garlic butter sauce.

Variations and Substitutions

• Substitute lime for lemon.
• Add fresh herbs or lemon zest.
• Add spicy pepper. If you like a bit of spice, add some chili red pepper flakes or some freshly chopped spicy peppers.
• Mix in some cooked angel hair pasta. This can be a one-pan lemon garlic shrimp pasta by mixing in some cooked angel hair pasta. Just add ½ cup of shredded parmesan cheese and 16 oz. of cooked angel hair pasta.
• Serve this lemon-garlic shrimp with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or a side salad.

Equipment

Sautéed shrimp is best prepared in a nonstick skillet with a lid. I recommend mashing the garlic with a mortar and pestle or using a garlic press.

Storage

Store this lemon garlic butter shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. I wouldn't go past that mark with seafood. I don't recommend freezing this dish.

Seafood Recipes

What To Serve With Shrimp

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