Garlic Butter Shrimp

5 from 12 votes

Fresh juicy shrimp cooked in a buttery garlicky sauce. This simple and super quick dish is perfect for a busy weeknight meal

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword garlic butter shrimp, garlic shrimp, shrimp recipes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 234

Prepare the cleaned, shelled shrimp by patting them dry with paper towels. Then season well with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil over high heat in a shallow pan. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and allow to cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the shrimp, and cook until they are just cooked through (about 1 minute).
Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), being careful not to brown too much. Add the lemon zest, juice, and parsley. Toss to coat.
Check for seasoning and add salt as needed before serving.

If you like your shrimp extra crunchy and don’t want to overcook, brine before cooking (see the instructions under how to achieve crunchy shrimp).
To avoid the sauce becoming greasy, the butter is best mixed in at the end to emulsify the mixture.
This dish can also be served with pasta. I also like to serve it on a bed of rice or simply alone as an appetizer.