Garlic butter shrimp is about to become your new favorite recipe. It is an amazing appetizer, but you can toss it with some pasta for a fantastic dinner.
Garlic, butter, and shrimp are three of my favorite culinary words, so you know that when you wrap them together, magic is going to happen. This recipe comes together in a snap and is made with just a handful of ingredients.
I love this recipe as a simple appetizer, but it is amazing to toss with angel hair pasta as well. It will read like a fancy dinner, but you don’t have to tell anyone that it took you less than 20 minutes.
How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
Here is a brief overview of how this garlic and butter shrimp recipe comes together. For the full recipe, including all measurements and directions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Pat the Shrimp Dry
In order for the shrimp to sear well, you need to first pat them dry. Then season them with salt and pepper.
Sauté the Garlic
Cook the garlic and red pepper flakes in melted butter for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
Cook the Shrimp
Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for a minute or two, or until the shrimp begins to turn pink and opaque. As you can see in the photo on the right below, the shrimp has begun to turn pink, but isn’t fully there yet.
Make the Sauce
Whisk in the wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Cook for two minutes or until all the shrimp have turned pink. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Thawing frozen shrimp: Make sure you follow the directions on the package when thawing your shrimp. The safest way to thaw it is in the refrigerator overnight. You can speed it up by rinsing the shrimp under cold running water for about ten minutes before cooking.
- Cooking with Wine: For this recipe, a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc works well without overpowering the other ingredients. While you don’t have to use an expensive wine, use a wine you’d enjoy drinking and stay away from anything labeled “cooking wine.” If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, substitute the wine with chicken broth.
- Cooking shrimp: Shrimp cook very quickly and are easy to overcook. They need just a minute or two on each side, because we continue cooking them once we add the sauce. Because shrimp can be different sizes, it is important to look for signs that each of them is fully cooked. They will go from grayish to bright pink and start to curl inward. The photos above are a good reference. Overcooking shrimp can significantly lower the quality of the dish, so be sure to watch them closely and not walk away from the stove.
Serving
This dish is great on its own as an appetizer. You can also serve this garlic butter shrimp with pasta. The rich garlic butter sauce pairs beautifully with linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair, allowing the pasta to soak up all that rich, savory flavor. If you go the pasta route, toss the cooked noodles directly into the skillet with the shrimp and sauce.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover shrimp with garlic and butter sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a small skillet over low heat. Always use your best judgment when storing and reheating leftovers.
If you make this Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment letting me know how you enjoyed it.
Recipe Video
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp raw, peeled, and deveined (453.59 grams)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (56.5 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth (59.1 ml), read more about using wine in this here
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp very dry. Season them with salt and pepper.1 pound shrimp, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to allow the garlic to burn.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Add the shrimp and cook for one to two minutes or until the shrimp just begins to turn pink.
- Whisk in the wine (or chicken broth) and lemon juice and bring to a simmer (this should happen within about 30 seconds). Cook for two minutes or until all the shrimp has turned pink, being careful to not overcook the shrimp.1/4 cup white wine, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a baguette.fresh parsley
Judith says
Am definitely going to make this for Christmas hon. Thanks
You’re welcome! I hope you love them!
Susan says
Would this recipe work with scallops instead of shrimp?
This probably wouldn’t be my pick to use with scallops because it’s nice to get a good sear on them before adding the butter.