This easy lemon butter shrimp recipe contains just 7 main ingredients, it takes less than 15 minutes to make and it can be served hot or cold! It’s a perfect main course for an easy weeknight dinner, or elegant dinner party. No marinating, no fuss!
Lemon Butter Shrimp
I love serving this bright, buttery shrimp with lemon orzo, pesto farro or lemon turmeric pearl couscous! It also makes a great substitution in my cilantro lime shrimp salad if you want to swap the cilantro and lime for lemon and garlic.
To ensure you get those perfect browned edges without overcooking, you’ll make sure not to crowd the pan and you’ll sauté quickly over high heat.
Shrimp releases moisture as it sautés, and you want to be sure it steams off quickly in a hot pan, so keeping the pan uncrowded is essential.
Ingredient Notes
Shrimp – Use raw, deveined shrimp with the tails on or off for this recipe.
Garlic – You can substitute with garlic powder if you’ve run out of fresh garlic, but be sure not to sprinkle the shrimp until it’s almost done, or the garlic powder will burn.
Parsley – You can substitute with cilantro or even fresh dill.
Butter – Use salted butter.
Lemon – Use real lemon juice, not bottled, and remember to zest the lemon before squeezing.
Italian Seasoning – You can substitute with Herbs de Provence or any garden herb blend.
How to Make This Recipe Step-by-Step
1. If frozen, thaw 20 shrimp and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Mince 4 cloves of garlic, chop 1 tbsp. parsley and zest 1 lemon. Set aside.
3. Melt 1 oz. butter in a sauté pan. Add shrimp. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. Italian seasoning and ½ tsp. lemon pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes on one side.
4. Add 1 more oz. of butter to the pan with minced garlic and lemon zest on one side of the pan. Flip and sauté shrimp for another 2-3 minutes while garlic and lemon sauté.
5. Turn off heat, juice 1 lemon over the shrimp. Mix garlic and shrimp together. Remove and pour butter and lemon over the shrimp.
6. Serve topped with chopped parsley.
A Few Tips
1. It’s easy to overcook shrimp. Don’t let it sauté for more than 6 minutes over high heat.
2. Shrimp will stay fresh for 2 days in a sealed, refrigerated container.
3. A few recipes that pair beautifully with this shrimp are:
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A Few More Tasty Seafood Recipes
Lemon Butter Shrimp
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sauté pan
- 1 lemon zester
- 1 lemon juicer
Ingredients
- 20 shrimp – uncooked, peeled, deveined
- 2 oz. salted butter – divided
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley – chopped
- 1 lemon – zested and juiced
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. lemon pepper
Instructions
- If frozen, thaw 20 shrimp and pat dry with paper towel.
- Mince 4 cloves garlic, chop 1 tbsp. parsley and zest 1 lemon. Set aside.
- Melt 1 oz. butter in a sauté pan. Add shrimp. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. Italian seasoning and ½ tsp. lemon pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes on one side.
- Add 1 more oz. of butter to the pan with minced garlic and lemon zest on one side of the pan. Flip and sauté shrimp for another 2-3 minutes while garlic and lemon sauté.
- Turn off heat, juice 1 lemon over the shrimp. Mix garlic and shrimp together. Remove and pour butter and lemon over the shrimp. Serve topped with chopped parsley.
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