Buttered Garlic Shrimp (Printable)
Plump shrimp swimming in a luscious garlic butter sauce with bright lemon and paprika. Ready in 20 minutes flat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Butter Sauce
02 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# How to Cook:
01 - Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp begin to turn pink on the edges.
04 - Sprinkle paprika and lemon zest evenly over the shrimp. Pour in the fresh lemon juice and stir well to coat every piece in the seasoning.
05 - Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing gently, until the shrimp are fully opaque and cooked through and the butter sauce is glossy and emulsified.
06 - Remove the skillet from heat. Toss the shrimp with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately, spooning the pan sauce generously over each portion.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce comes together in minutes and tastes like you spent an hour reducing it.
- It works as a quick weeknight dinner or an impressive appetizer when friends drop by unexpectedly.
02 -
- If the butter starts browning too fast or the garlic darkens, your heat is too high and the sauce will turn bitter, so pull the pan off the burner for a few seconds to regain control.
- Crowding the pan is the fastest way to boil your shrimp instead of sautéing them, so cook in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller side.
03 -
- The two stage butter trick, melting some at the start and adding the rest at the end, creates a sauce that stays silky rather than breaking or separating.
- Let your skillet get hot before the butter goes in, because a preheated pan gives the shrimp that slight caramelized edge that makes this dish unforgettable.