Garlic Lemon Butter Shrimp

Published October 21, 2016. Updated March 14, 2019

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This quick Lemon Garlic Shrimp just couldn’t get any easier! And the flavor is perfection. I mean, talk about the perfect flavor combo – garlic, lemon and butter. Yes, yes and definitely yes! You just can’t go wrong here. Butter makes everything better.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp on a white serving plate with a side of couscous and asparagus.

Buttery Lemon Garlic Shrimp

This lemon garlic butter shrimp is the perfect meal for busy weeknights! If you pair it with couscous and asparagus, it all cooks in 10 minutes or less and prep is a breeze!

If you want a little extra of that buttery sauce to serve with some couscous or pasta, just double up on the butter and lemon. Add some fresh steamed asparagus, and you will have a complete meal in no time that the whole family will love!

This lemon garlic shrimp recipe is definitely one of the easiest and quickest made from-scratch dinners you could make. Trust me, the flavor definitely beats a package of plain old ramen or fast food, so go with this instead when you have the urge to just grab something quick.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Ingredients

  • Peeled and deveined shrimp
  • Butter
  • Lemon juice
  • Fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sugar
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic

Shrimp in skillet after cooking. Tossed with garlic, lemon and butter.

How to Make Lemon Garlic Shrimp

  • Mix together melted butter, lemon juice and parsley. Set aside.
  • Pat shrimp dry, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar.
  • Cook half the shrimp in a skillet with half the garlic. When finished cooking, transfer to a foil packet to keep warm.
  • Cook the rest of the shrimp, then add the shrimp in the foil back into the pan.
  • Pour butter mixture over shrimp and toss to coat.

Can I Make This Recipe with Frozen Shrimp?

Yes, you’ll just need to thaw it out first and pat the shrimp dry before cooking it.

Can I Make This Recipe Ahead of Time?

This lemon garlic butter shrimp is best enjoyed right away, since shrimp doesn’t reheat very well.

Close up image of cooked shrimp with garlic, lemon and butter.

Tips for the Best Lemon Garlic Shrimp

  • Be sure to pat the shrimp dry before cooking it for best results.
  • Shrimp only has to cook a few minutes — you’ll know it’s finished cooking when it’s pink all around.
  • Fresh lemon juice is a must for this recipe!

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Garlic Lemon Butter Shrimp

Tender skillet cooked shrimp are coated in a rich bright lemon butter sauce and finished with fresh parsley for a nice contrast of color. An easy dinner entree you'll want to make again and again!
Servings: 5
Prep15 minutes
Cook6 minutes
Ready in: 21 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a bowl mix together butter, lemon juice and parsley, set aside.
  • Pat shrimp dry with paper towels then sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and the sugar. 
  • Heat 2 tsp oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. 
  • Add half the garlic and half the shrimp to skillet and cook turning once until shrimp is cooked through and opaque, about 3 minutes total. 
  • Transfer to a piece of foil and wrap to keep warm. Repeat cooking process with remaining shrimp then remove skillet from heat.
  • Return shrimp in foil to pan with other the shrimp. Pour butter mixture over shrimp and toss to coat. Serve warm.

Notes

Recipe source: inspired by The Best 30-Minute Recipe, by Cook's Illustrated
Nutrition Facts
Garlic Lemon Butter Shrimp
Amount Per Serving
Calories 232 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 361mg120%
Sodium 212mg9%
Potassium 117mg3%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 340IU7%
Vitamin C 9.7mg12%
Calcium 204mg20%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.