Easy Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

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This Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp is a light, flavorful and easy dinner! Even better, you’ll have it ready in less than 20 minutes!

A black cooking pan with Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp in a garlic butter sauce with three slices of lemon

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

If you are hunting for a dinner protein that looks impressive, but is actually super easy to make, hunt no further than my Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp!

This is a light and easy main dish that is also super flavorful and pairs well with side dishes and desserts. With plump and juicy shrimp, you get lots of different bright flavors in one pan! 

As shrimp recipes go, this one will take you only minutes to put together, so it’s the perfect last minute recipe when you need to get something delicious on the table. This garlicky shrimp is an easy recipe that truly anyone can make to put a healthy dinner on the dinner table during busy weeknights. 

Always keto, paleo, gluten free, low carb, and nut free, this is also a great recipe for lots of different dietary needs and challenges.

The lemon, garlic, and butter make the shrimp extremely flavorful while not being heavy, so you don’t have to worry about overwhelming someone who has trouble with red meat or large amounts of food. 

This is one of my favorite meals, so I can tell you that these get eaten quickly. Be careful that you don’t eat the whole thing before sharing it with anyone else! 

This is the ultimate 20-minute meal that is both a quick dinner for the family and perfect for date nights. Using simple ingredients that create a restaurant-quality meal with a beautiful presentation, this lemon garlic shrimp recipe is easily going to become a new favorite. So good!

Recipe Notes:

  • You can use fresh garlic pressed through a garlic mincer in a pinch.
  • If you want to use fresh parsley, chop up 1 1/2 tablespoons to equal the amount of dried parsley in this recipe. 
  • This recipe calls for frozen pre-cooked shrimp, so keep in mind that if you use a different type of shrimp, it may change the cooking time. 
  • Serve this Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with some cooked pasta (regular or gluten-free), turn it into shrimp tacos, or just eat it by itself. If you have some crusty bread in the house, it is perfect for mopping up any leftover buttery sauce.

A white square plate with Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp on a white wooden table

How To Make Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp:

Easy Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Ingredients:

1 lb large frozen pre-cooked shrimp
3 Tbsp minced garlic in oil
3 Tbsp butter, unsalted, cubed
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
Salt and pepper

Supplies Needed:

Large colander 
Large frying pan
Silicone spatula or wooden spoon

Frozen shrimp, butter, garlic, salt and pepper and other ingredients for the Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

Directions:

Step 1: Place your frozen shrimp in a strainer and run it under cold running water for 3 minutes.

Olive oil and red pepper flakes in a black cooking pan next to a white bowl full of more red pepper flakes on a wooden tableStep 2: In a large skillet, pour in your oil and add the red pepper flakes. These give the lemon butter sauce a little kick. Use a few less flakes if you want to lower the spice level. 

Thawed shrimp cooking in a black cooking pan with a yellow spatulaHeat over medium heat for a couple minutes, until the oil is shimmery, but not smoking.

Step 3: Add the thawed shrimp in a single layer to your hot skillet along with your garlic, unsalted butter, and fresh lemon juice.

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp cooking in a pan with a yellow spatula next to two white bowls that used to have ingredientsCook the large shrimp in the butter mixture until they are golden brown (around 4 to 5 minutes).

Shrimp cooks at a different rate if you choose to use uncooked shrimp instead of frozen, so please keep that in mind while cooking.

Step 4: Mix in your parsley flakes, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and black pepper (to taste).

A black skillet with cooked Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp and three lemon wedgesAdd a few lemon wedges for that extra hint of lemon flavor on top while you eat. 

How To Store Leftover Easy Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

If you have any lemony garlic butter shrimp leftover, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

A white square plate of Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

Can I Use Fresh Shrimp In This Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe?

This recipe calls for pre-cooked frozen shrimp, but if you have some that are ready to heat or your grocery store doesn’t have frozen pre-cooked shrimp, that is totally fine.

Make sure that it is both peeled and deveined shrimp. Wash your raw shrimp in a little bit of cold water before adding it to your skillet for the best results. 

Is This Really Spicy Shrimp?

No, not really. The red pepper flakes are there to add some kick and flavor, but you have full control of how spicy your lemon butter shrimp turns out.

If you like a lot of spice, add the entire 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes and do a quick taste test of the shrimp scampi sauce. You can always add more to bump up the heat. If you don’t like very much spice, cut down the flakes by half or omit them completely. 

A black pan with Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp and three lemon wedges

What Should I Serve With This Buttery Shrimp?

Serve your succulent shrimp and lemon garlic butter sauce over linguine, angel hair pasta, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, white rice, on a bed of greens, or eat them just the way they are.

You can also sprinkle it with a little parmesan cheese. It’s a delicious dinner no matter which route you go, so try one option the first time and something else the next time. 

Are You Looking For An Easy And Fancy Side Dish To Pair With This Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe? Here Are Some Of My Favorites:

Collapsible Colander, 2 Collapsible Set, Learja Food-Grade Silicone kitchen Strainer Space-Saver Folding Strainer Colander, Sizes 8 inches - 2 Quart, and 9.5 inches - 3 quart (blue)Collapsible Colander, 2 Collapsible Set, Learja Food-Grade Silicone kitchen Strainer Space-Saver Folding Strainer Colander, Sizes 8 inches – 2 Quart, and 9.5 inches – 3 quart (blue)Collapsible Colander, 2 Collapsible Set, Learja Food-Grade Silicone kitchen Strainer Space-Saver Folding Strainer Colander, Sizes 8 inches - 2 Quart, and 9.5 inches - 3 quart (blue)LiveFresh Stainless Steel Micro-Perforated 5-Quart Colander - Professional Strainer with Heavy Duty Handles and Self-draining Solid Ring Base - Dishwasher SafeLiveFresh Stainless Steel Micro-Perforated 5-Quart Colander – Professional Strainer with Heavy Duty Handles and Self-draining Solid Ring Base – Dishwasher SafeLiveFresh Stainless Steel Micro-Perforated 5-Quart Colander - Professional Strainer with Heavy Duty Handles and Self-draining Solid Ring Base - Dishwasher SafeCuisinart 622-36H Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 14-Inch Open Skillet with Helper Handle, BlackCuisinart 622-36H Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 14-Inch Open Skillet with Helper Handle, BlackCuisinart 622-36H Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 14-Inch Open Skillet with Helper Handle, BlackAll-Clad E785S264/E785S263 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Dishwasher Safe PFOA Free 8 and 10-Inch Fry Pan Cookware Set, 2-Piece, BlackAll-Clad E785S264/E785S263 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Dishwasher Safe PFOA Free 8 and 10-Inch Fry Pan Cookware Set, 2-Piece, BlackAll-Clad E785S264/E785S263 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Dishwasher Safe PFOA Free 8 and 10-Inch Fry Pan Cookware Set, 2-Piece, BlackGLOUE 450oF Heat-Resistant Baking Spoon & Spatulas - Ergonomic Easy-to-Clean Seamless One-Piece Design - Nonstick - Dishwasher Safe - Solid Stainless Steel-MulticolorGLOUE 450oF Heat-Resistant Baking Spoon & Spatulas – Ergonomic Easy-to-Clean Seamless One-Piece Design – Nonstick – Dishwasher Safe – Solid Stainless Steel-MulticolorGLOUE 450oF Heat-Resistant Baking Spoon & Spatulas - Ergonomic Easy-to-Clean Seamless One-Piece Design - Nonstick - Dishwasher Safe - Solid Stainless Steel-MulticolorHotec 5 pieces Silicone Spatula Set Kitchen Utensils for Baking, Cooking, and Mixing Heat Resistant Non Stick Cookware Strong Stainless Steel Core Inside with Food Grade Silicone Dishwasher Safe BlackHotec 5 pieces Silicone Spatula Set Kitchen Utensils for Baking, Cooking, and Mixing Heat Resistant Non Stick Cookware Strong Stainless Steel Core Inside with Food Grade Silicone Dishwasher Safe BlackHotec 5 pieces Silicone Spatula Set Kitchen Utensils for Baking, Cooking, and Mixing Heat Resistant Non Stick Cookware Strong Stainless Steel Core Inside with Food Grade Silicone Dishwasher Safe Black

 

Yield: 4 servings

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

This Lemon Garlic Shrimp recipe is one of those pescatarian recipes that everyone will love! Keto, paleo, gluten free, and nut free, it is one of the main meals that you can add to your weekly meal plan.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place your shrimp in a strainer and run it under cold running water for 3 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet, pour in your oil and add the red pepper flakes. Heat for a couple minutes, until the oil is shimmery, but not smoking.
  3. Add the shrimp to your pan along with your garlic, butter, and lemon juice.
  4. Cook the shrimp until they are golden brown (around 4 to 5 minutes). Cooking times will vary if you choose to use uncooked shrimp instead of frozen, so please keep that in mind while cooking.
  5. Mix in your parsley flakes, a sprinkle of salt and pepper (to taste). Serve your shrimp over linguine or eat them just the way they are!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 285Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 262mgSodium: 1221mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 26g

This calculation is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a doctor or dietician. This calculator is a guide, but makes no guarantee of being exact or fully accurate.

Two pictures of Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp in a pan

A closeup of Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp in a black pan with three slices of lemon

Two pictures of Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp in a black cooking pan

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp in a black cooking pan on a white placemat on a wooden table

7 Comments

  1. Easy recipe with awesome flavor. I used uncooked shrimp and cooked them in the olive oil/red pepper. 3/4 cooked I added garlic, then butter and lemon juice. Perfection. Served with rice Pilaf, peas and a salad. Will definitely be added to the menu going forward. Thank you for sharing.

  2. Thank you so much for such a wonderful dish!!! It was so easy to make and the flavores are amazing. This will be my go to dish.

  3. OH, I cannot wait to try these! I’ve been trying to cut the carbs since the holidays, and I think these would be so good served over some cauliflower rice. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

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