Savory Garlic Butter Shrimp For Dinner
There are some aromas that instantly signal something wonderful is happening in the kitchen, and for me, the scent of garlic sizzling in butter is right at the top of that list. It’s a beautifully simple combination that promises rich, savoury satisfaction. When you add plump, juicy shrimp to that pan, you create a dish that feels both elegant and incredibly comforting. This Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe is one we return to again and again in my house; it’s the meal I turn to when I need something delightful on the table in under half an hour, without any fuss.
This isn’t just another shrimp recipe. It’s about getting the balance just right—enough garlic to be bold but not overpowering, enough butter to create a luscious sauce without being greasy, and cooking the shrimp for the perfect amount of time so they remain tender and succulent. My kids absolutely devour this every time I make it, usually fighting over who gets to mop up the last of the garlic butter sauce with a piece of crusty bread. It’s a dish that works beautifully for a quiet weeknight dinner but is also special enough to serve when you have friends over.
We’ll walk through how to create that gorgeous, emulsified garlic butter sauce that clings to every shrimp, the little touches that elevate the flavour, and how to ensure your shrimp are perfectly cooked every single time. Get your frying pan ready; this is a recipe you’ll be glad to have in your collection.
Recipe Overview
This recipe brings together plump shrimp with a deeply savoury and rich garlic butter sauce, finished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of bright lemon juice. The key is in the technique: we infuse the butter with garlic flavour without burning it, then quickly cook the shrimp until they are just pink and juicy. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got it just right—the sauce is the perfect consistency for coating pasta or being soaked up by bread. It’s a straightforward dish that delivers an impressive result.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Genuine Flavour: The taste is built on quality ingredients. You get the sweetness from the perfectly cooked shrimp, a pungent warmth from the fresh garlic, and a luxurious richness from the melted butter, all brought together by a hint of acidity from the lemon.
- Ready in Under 20 Minutes: From prepping the garlic to serving, this dish comes together remarkably fast, making it ideal for those busy evenings when you want something special without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Flexible Recipe: This recipe is a fantastic starting point. You can toss the finished dish with linguine to make a lovely Classic Shrimp Scampi Recipe In Minutes, add a pinch of chilli flakes for some heat, or stir in a splash of dry white wine for extra depth.
- Great for Many Occasions: It works wonderfully as a main course with rice or pasta, as a starter with some good bread, or even as part of a tapas-style spread.
- Family Tested: This is a true family favourite. It always gets compliments, and there are never any leftovers, which I always take as the highest praise!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, I recommend using the freshest ingredients you can find, especially when it comes to the shrimp and garlic. The quality really shines through. I always opt for a good block of salted butter; it adds a certain richness that you don’t quite get from margarine or oil-based spreads.
- 500g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 100g salted butter, cubed
- 6-8 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated
- 60ml dry white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (optional, for a little heat)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Elena’s Tip: If you’re using frozen shrimp, make sure they are thoroughly thawed and patted completely dry with a paper towel before cooking. Excess water will prevent them from searing nicely and will dilute your beautiful garlic butter sauce.
How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
The process for making this garlic butter shrimp is straightforward. The key is to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start, as the cooking part happens very quickly. We call this ‘mise en place’ in the kitchen, and it’s the secret to a stress-free cooking experience.
- Prepare the Shrimp: Ensure your shrimp are peeled, deveined, and very dry. Season them generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the Pan: Place a large frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, it’s ready.
- Sear the Shrimp: Carefully add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd it; cook in two batches if necessary. Sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side until they turn pink and slightly curled. They don’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Once seared, remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Start the Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add half of the cubed butter to the same pan. Let it melt, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and red chilli flakes (if using) to the melted butter. Sauté for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Be very careful here; you want to cook the raw taste out of the garlic, not burn it. Burnt garlic will make the whole dish bitter. What works best for me is to keep stirring it constantly.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine or chicken stock. Increase the heat to medium and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce by about half. This concentrates the flavour wonderfully.
- Finish the Sauce: Reduce the heat back to low and whisk in the remaining butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Stir in the fresh lemon juice.
- Combine and Serve: Return the seared shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the chopped fresh parsley. Toss everything together for about 1 minute, just to heat the shrimp through and coat them in the glorious sauce. Serve immediately.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: The heat of your pan is crucial. Use medium-high heat to sear the shrimp so they get a little colour, but immediately lower it for the garlic. This prevents the garlic from burning and turning bitter, which would ruin the sauce.
- The Secret Step: Don’t skip deglazing the pan with wine or stock. I learned that this simple action lifts all the flavourful caramelized bits (known as fond) left by the shrimp, incorporating them into your sauce for an incredible depth of flavour.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the components in advance to make cooking even faster. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley, storing them in separate small airtight containers in the fridge for up to a day. The shrimp is best cooked just before serving for optimal texture.
- Storage: If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat or in the microwave in short bursts, being careful not to overcook the shrimp.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need any fancy gadgets for this recipe, just a few kitchen essentials.
- Large frying pan or skillet (a heavy-bottomed one works best for even heat distribution)
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Small bowls for your prepped ingredients
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the pan: Tipping all the shrimp in at once is a common error. This drops the pan’s temperature, causing the shrimp to steam in their own liquid instead of searing. To get that lovely pink colour, cook them in batches, ensuring they have space.
- Overcooking the Shrimp: Shrimp cook in a matter of minutes. The moment they turn from translucent grey to opaque pink and curl into a ‘C’ shape, they are done. If they curl into a tight ‘O’, they are overcooked and will be rubbery. Always follow official food safety guidance when cooking shellfish.
- Burning the Garlic: This is the number one mistake that can ruin your dish. Add the garlic to the pan only after you’ve lowered the heat, and stir it constantly for just 30-60 seconds until it’s aromatic before you add the liquid.
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, feel free to get creative. This dish is a wonderful canvas for other flavours.
- Spicy Garlic Butter Shrimp: For those who like more heat, increase the red chilli flakes to a full teaspoon or add one finely diced fresh red chilli along with the garlic.
- Creamy Version: After the wine has reduced, stir in 60-80ml of double cream along with the final butter cubes for an even more decadent sauce.
- Add Vegetables: Make it a one-pan meal by adding some quick-cooking vegetables. Sauté some asparagus tips or sliced mushrooms in the pan before you cook the shrimp, or stir in a handful of fresh spinach at the very end until it wilts. This is similar to my approach for a Savory Beef And Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe.
What to Serve With Garlic Butter Shrimp
The beauty of this dish is its versatility. The rich sauce is begging to be paired with something that can soak it all up.
- Crusty Bread: A fresh baguette or a slice of sourdough is non-negotiable in my house for mopping up every last drop of the garlic butter sauce.
- Pasta: Toss the shrimp and sauce with freshly cooked linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta for a complete and satisfying meal.
- Rice or Grains: Serve over a bed of fluffy white rice, quinoa, or even creamy polenta to absorb the sauce.
- Wine Pairing: A crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio cuts through the richness of the butter beautifully. A light, cold beer also works well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Shrimp: Ensure your shrimp are peeled, deveined, and very dry. Season them generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the Pan: Place a large frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, it's ready.
- Sear the Shrimp: Carefully add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Don't overcrowd it; cook in two batches if necessary. Sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side until they turn pink and slightly curled. They don't need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Once seared, remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Start the Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add half of the cubed butter to the same pan. Let it melt, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and red chilli flakes (if using) to the melted butter. Sauté for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Be very careful here; you want to cook the raw taste out of the garlic, not burn it. Burnt garlic will make the whole dish bitter. What works best for me is to keep stirring it constantly.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine or chicken stock. Increase the heat to medium and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce by about half. This concentrates the flavour wonderfully.
- Finish the Sauce: Reduce the heat back to low and whisk in the remaining butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Stir in the fresh lemon juice.
- Combine and Serve: Return the seared shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the chopped fresh parsley. Toss everything together for about 1 minute, just to heat the shrimp through and coat them in the glorious sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
I truly hope you enjoy making this Garlic Butter Shrimp. It’s a recipe born from a love of simple, high-quality ingredients coming together to create something genuinely special and delicious. It’s a little plate of sunshine, perfect for any day of the week. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out for you in the comments below! Happy cooking, Elena.
