5-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp

Sheela Prakash
Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
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updated Oct 20, 2023
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

You only need 5 minutes to make this easy weeknight skillet.

Serves4

Prep2 minutes to 5 minutes

Cook3 minutes

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Shrimp is a weeknight dinner superhero. It cooks quickly and is extremely versatile, yet feels like a treat every time I set it down on the dinner table. This classic recipe calls for ingredients you probably already have on hand, like butter, garlic, and lemon, which together create a saucy, Italian-leaning shrimp that’s just begging to be at the center of your plate tonight. The best part: You need just five minutes to make it.

A Fast & Fancy Shrimp Dinner for Any Night of the Week

Shrimp tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce is hard to compete with. This recipe is quick enough to pull off on a busy weeknight, but feels special enough for a Saturday night in, too. How you serve it is up to you. Toss it with pasta for a dish that very much resembles shrimp scampi; serve it over rice, orzo, or creamy polenta; or simply serve it straight-up in shallow bowls, with crusty bread close by to help soak up all the delicious sauce.

Recipe Tips

This garlic butter shrimp couldn’t be easier to pull together but a few tips ensure success:

  • Have all your ingredients ready to go. This recipe moves fast so having everything prepped and next to you by the stovetop keeps things from slowing down.
  • Know when the shrimp is done. As soon as it curls and turns pink and opaque, it’s good to go.
  • Cut the recipe in half, if you’d like. Like most seafood, this is really best enjoyed fresh. If you’re a family of one or two, this recipe can easily be halved.
(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)
Comments

Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe

You only need 5 minutes to make this easy weeknight skillet.

Prep time 2 minutes to 5 minutes

Cook time 3 minutes

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 pound

    peeled and deveined uncooked medium shrimp

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons

    olive oil

  • 1/2 cup

    dry white wine

  • 4 cloves

    garlic, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    red pepper flakes (optional)

  • 3 tablespoons

    cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

  • 1/4 cup

    coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

  • 1 tablespoon

    freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp and let cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the shrimp and add the wine, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the shrimp are just opaque and the wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

  2. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the butter cubes, and stir until melted. Add the parsley and lemon juice, toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

(Image credit: The Kitchn)
Filed in:
dinner
easy
Gluten-Free
herbs
Ingredient
italian