Butter Lemon Garlic Shrimp (20 Minute Recipe) + Video
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Lemon Garlic Shrimp is bursting with flavor, truly better than any restaurant. Featuring an irresistible butter sauce, skillet garlic lemon shrimp is ready in just 20 minutes! Simple ingredients perfectly come together to create this lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe!
You’re going to love the fresh flavor of this shrimp dish. People tend to think that cooking shrimp is difficult, but it’s really quite an easy weeknight meal.
Your taste buds will love the tangy lemon flavoring of new recipes like this!
I love using fresh ingredients to make a delicious dinner, and then lemony garlic butter shrimp never disappoints.
It’s amazing what a little bit of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest paired with raw shrimp can do! (and yes, save yourself some time and buy the deveined shrimp – no one has time to spend hours on fresh shrimp cleaning it and getting it ready!)
You can cook the large shrimp and enjoy them just like they are, or turn this into an amazing lemon garlic shrimp pasta.
The succulent shrimp give you options – and options are always good! Follow the simple steps on the recipe card below to get this on the dinner table tonight!
Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Summer is the perfect time for cooking with seafood — and shrimp is one of our favorite types!
Beneath tender lemon butter garlic shrimp is a silky sauce that makes this dish perfect over a bed of steamed vegetables, rice, or pasta.
Recipe Video
Be sure to watch the video! Look for it in the recipe card, at the bottom of this post.
There are so many ways to prepare shrimp, from Cajun pasta and tacos to skewers on the smoker!
You can even make a hot party dip with this versatile shellfish, perfect for a holiday or game day appetizer.
Tips for Making Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp
- Cut down on prep time.
If you buy your shrimp already cleaned and deveined, you will save yourself quite a bit of time.
Otherwise, you will need to clean, peel, and devein shrimp yourself before making this lemon garlic shrimp recipe.
- Use the freshest ingredients.
You won’t believe how much better the flavor is when you use freshly squeezed lemon juice and chop whole garlic cloves yourself!
Garnish with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge for a restaurant-quality presentation.
- Swap in other seafood!
For a slightly different flavor, you can substitute half of the shrimp with bay scallops instead.
Prepare the recipe for lemon butter garlic shrimp the same as directed — no adjustments needed.
Flavor and Recipe Variations to Try
It’s so easy to customize garlic lemon shrimp recipes depending on what you’re in the mood for or any ingredients you have on hand.
Plus, you can keep garlic lemon shrimp in rotation without getting tired of it!
- Add a bit of honey to the pan while you cook the shrimp.
- Include chopped fresh basil or sage in the butter sauce.
- Create a spicier dish with a dash of red pepper flakes.
- Saute onions and mushrooms in the pan before adding the shrimp.
- Brighten lemon garlic shrimp with herbaceous cilantro as a garnish.
Lemon Garlic Shrimp Recipe FAQ
Honestly, just about everything! Pasta and rice are popular sides for garlic lemon shrimp recipes, but a fresh garden salad is lovely too.
We love a side of grilled asparagus or broccoli salad, though grilled fruit and vegetable kabobs are just as tasty — and kid-friendly!
Shrimp only needs about a few minutes on the stovetop. Aim for 1-2 minutes per side for searing, or about 3-4 minutes total if you’ll be stirring in a sauce.
Cooked shrimp should have just curled into a C shape. Looser than that, they are not done yet. If they form a tight O, they are overcooked.
Absolutely! Just be sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then rinse and pat fry before making lemon garlic shrimp.
Storing and Reheating Garlic Lemon Shrimp
Transfer cooled leftovers (including sauce) to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 to 3 months.
Reheat lemon garlic shrimp back on the stovetop until warmed through. Avoid microwaving, as this will make the shrimps rubbery.
And if frozen, be sure to let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Butter Lemon Garlic Shrimp (20 Minute Recipe) + Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
Instructions
- Prep ingredients before you begin cooking. Do not skip this step.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter.
- Add garlic to the skillet and cook about 1 minute.
- Add shrimp, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute without stirring. Continue cooking until shrimp begin turning pink (about 2-3 minutes).
- Remove shrimp from pan and set aside in a bowl. (They will be returned to the skillet to continue cooking).
- Add lemon juice to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half.
- Add remaining butter and cook until melted. Add 1/2 of parsley. Stir to combine. Add shrimp back into the pan. Stir to combine. Cook until shrimp are opaque, about 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Top with remaining parsley and serve with a lemon wedge if desired.
- Serve over pasta or steamed vegetables and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published May 2015, updated and republished September 2024
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Shrimp is plentiful here on the AL/FL Gulf Coast and I will definitely be trying this. Thanks!
Sue
I’m on the Texas side 😀.I’m a visual learner but her videos with the arrow on the left only play ads😠.I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong but this recipe seems pretty straightforward. ENJOY!!!
I've been looking for a simple shrimp recipe like this. Thanks so much
Audrey
Sounds so delicious!! Pinned it!
I would LOVE to make my lemon chicken or broccoli beef in this pan. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
Erin
I have made this before and it's delicious 🙂 I'm also in the Phoenix area, what is the name of the store your husband got the shrimp from? I'd like to buy some good shrimp.
Don’t count on her replying. I don’t think she even reads the comments, just seems content to have people view her recipes 😠
This looks delicious! Did you find that you needed some sort of sauce to serve with the pasta? Or is it enough as it is?
Here is another great recipe. Made it and served it with pasta and Alfredo sauce. Lucky to live on the Texas Gulf Coast where we can get seafood as it comes off the boat. Thanks for all of the great recipes! Love seeing them on FB. http://www.centercutcook.com/parmesan-roasted-shrimp/
Nice recipe. Too bad it had a lengthy commercial in the middle of it.
It was tonight's dinner. Delicious.
Could you tell me the nutrition info in this dish? Thank you
Anonymous, the nutritional information is posyed at the end of the recipe. It’s there at the end of each recipe.
That looks delicious and very easy to make.
I think I'll try it but serve the shrimp on soft tacos with some roasted peppers. Should be lovely 🙂 Thanks!!
I used the sauce for some Lobster Ravioli that I bought. It was delicious, very light and tangy served with a tossed salad and a nice glass of wine!
OMG, that sounds Devine. Thanks for you suggestions.
Should the sauce be thickened somehow?
Can olive oil be substituted for the butter? I cannot eat dairy.
Yes, or use a plant based butter.
Where is the video? I'm using a desktop computer to view this web page that says there is a video to watch, but there is no video anywhere.
I’m using my cellphone. There’s a video but all it plays is an ad! Happens regularly with her videos when the play tab is on the middle left. I have a sneaky suspicion she’s only interested in the clicks. You’re not missing anything. The only reason I follow her is bcause she as some awesome recipes.
Yummy!!!
Lemon and Garlic prove how something so simple can taste so amazing. You did it again Donna! I love these shrimp, it might be my new default recipe.