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Lemon Garlic Shrimp combines bright lemon and bold garlic in a fast, elegant dish. It’s perfect for weeknights or entertaining, with tender shrimp soaking up a buttery pan sauce. You’ll love this versatile Lemon Garlic Shrimp over pasta, with bread, or alongside a salad.

Recipe Overview

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Fast & easy: Ready in about 15 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Restaurant-quality flavor: Fresh garlic, lemon, and butter create a vibrant, comforting sauce.
Versatile serving: Great over pasta, rice, salad, or as an appetizer with crusty bread.
Fancy without fuss: Elegant enough for guests but simple for any night.

Ingredients & Tools

450 g large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large lemon (juice and zest)
60 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tools: A large skillet (stainless steel or cast iron works great), a microplane or zester, and a pair of tongs.

Notes: Using fresh, high-quality ingredients really makes a difference here—freshly squeezed lemon juice and real butter create a sauce that’s far superior to anything you can get from a bottle. And don’t skip the wine; it adds a lovely depth of flavor that balances the lemon’s acidity perfectly.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:	285 kcal
Protein:	24 g
Fat:	18 g
Carbs:	4 g
Fiber:	1 g

Serves: 3 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 8 minutes | Total Time: 18 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

Pat your shrimp dry. This is a small step with a big impact. Moisture on the surface of the shrimp will cause them to steam rather than sear, preventing that beautiful, light browning. A quick pat with a paper towel ensures a perfect sear.
Use raw shrimp for the best texture. Pre-cooked shrimp will become rubbery and tough when reheated in the pan. Starting with raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp gives you control over the cooking and guarantees a tender, juicy result.
Don’t burn the garlic! Garlic can go from golden and fragrant to bitter and burnt in seconds. Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking so you can add the garlic and lemon juice in quick succession.
Zest your lemon before juicing it. It’s infinitely easier to zest a whole, firm lemon than a floppy, juiced one. The zest packs a powerful citrus punch that brightens the entire dish, so you don’t want to miss it.

How to Make Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Step 1: Prepare your shrimp. If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them completely in a colander under cold running water. Pat them very dry with paper towels—this is crucial for a good sear. Season the shrimp generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. This initial seasoning will be the foundation of the dish’s flavor.

Step 2: Heat the pan. Place your large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter. You want the fat to be hot and shimmering before you add the shrimp. You can test this by flicking a tiny drop of water into the pan; if it sizzles and evaporates immediately, you’re good to go.

Step 3: Cook the shrimp. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the hot skillet. Don’t overcrowd the pan—cook in batches if necessary. Let them cook undisturbed for about 1-2 minutes until the bottoms turn pink and develop a light golden crust. Flip them with tongs and cook for another minute on the second side. They cook fast! You’ll know they’re done when they form a loose “C” shape. Transfer them to a clean plate.

Step 4: Build the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Once it’s melted, add the minced garlic and optional red pepper flakes. Sauté for just 30-60 seconds until fragrant—you’ll smell that wonderful garlic aroma, but be careful not to let it brown.

Step 5: Deglaze with wine and lemon. Pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Use your spatula to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that’s where a ton of flavor is hiding! Let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 2 minutes. The sauce should look slightly thickened and glossy.

Step 6: Finish and serve. Return the cooked shrimp and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Toss everything together to coat the shrimp in the glorious sauce and heat them through for about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley and lemon zest. Give it one final toss and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately!

Storage & Freshness Guide

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer: Not recommended; shrimp may become rubbery upon thawing.
Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

Angel Hair Pasta or Zucchini Noodles — The delicate strands are perfect for twirling and soaking up every last drop of the lemony garlic sauce. It turns the dish into a complete, satisfying meal.
Crusty Garlic Bread — This is non-negotiable for sauce-dipping purposes. The crispy, buttery bread is the ideal vehicle for that incredible pan sauce you really don’t want to waste.
A Simple Arugula Salad — The peppery bite of arugula dressed with just a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil provides a fresh, crisp contrast to the rich, savory shrimp.

Drinks

A Crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The wine’s citrusy and herbal notes mirror the flavors in the dish beautifully, cleansing the palate between each delicious bite.
Sparkling Water with Lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are incredibly refreshing and help balance the richness of the butter and garlic.

Something Sweet

Lemon Sorbet — Continuing the citrus theme with a clean, palate-cleansing dessert that feels light and refreshing after the main course.
Vanilla Panna Cotta with Berry Compote — The creamy, cool panna cotta and slightly tart berries offer a simple, elegant finish that doesn’t overpower the memory of the shrimp.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake: Overcooking the shrimp. Shrimp cook in just a few minutes and become tough and rubbery if left on the heat for too long. The moment they curl into a “C” shape and turn opaque, they’re done. I’ve messed this up before too, and it’s a sad day for shrimp.
Mistake: Adding garlic to a scorching hot pan. If your pan is too hot when you add the garlic for the sauce, it will burn instantly and become bitter, ruining the entire flavor profile of the dish. Always lower the heat before adding it.
Mistake: Crowding the pan. If you pile all the shrimp in at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. You want a nice, single layer with a little space between each piece to get that perfect texture.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Cost Level $$

Category Shrimp Recipes

Difficulty Medium

Cuisine Mediterranean, american

Servings 3

Total Time 18 minutes

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Make this easy Lemon Garlic Shrimp in just 15 minutes! A vibrant, buttery pan sauce coats tender shrimp for a perfect weeknight meal. Get the recipe now!

Ingredients

For the Ingredients

450 g large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large lemon (juice and zest)
60 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

01
Prepare your shrimp. If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them completely in a colander under cold running water. Pat them very dry with paper towels—this is crucial for a good sear. Season the shrimp generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. This initial seasoning will be the foundation of the dish’s flavor.
02
Heat the pan. Place your large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter. You want the fat to be hot and shimmering before you add the shrimp. You can test this by flicking a tiny drop of water into the pan; if it sizzles and evaporates immediately, you’re good to go.
03
Cook the shrimp. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the hot skillet. Don’t overcrowd the pan—cook in batches if necessary. Let them cook undisturbed for about 1-2 minutes until the bottoms turn pink and develop a light golden crust. Flip them with tongs and cook for another minute on the second side. They cook fast! You’ll know they’re done when they form a loose “C” shape. Transfer them to a clean plate.
04
Build the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Once it’s melted, add the minced garlic and optional red pepper flakes. Sauté for just 30-60 seconds until fragrant—you’ll smell that wonderful garlic aroma, but be careful not to let it brown.
05
Deglaze with wine and lemon. Pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Use your spatula to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that’s where a ton of flavor is hiding! Let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 2 minutes. The sauce should look slightly thickened and glossy.
06
Finish and serve. Return the cooked shrimp and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Toss everything together to coat the shrimp in the glorious sauce and heat them through for about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley and lemon zest. Give it one final toss and taste for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately!