Why You’ll Love This Zesty Lemon Garlic Shrimp

• It’s incredibly fast. From pan to plate in under 15 minutes, this recipe is a lifesaver on those evenings when you’re short on time but still want a satisfying, home-cooked meal.
• The flavor is bright and vibrant. The combination of fresh lemon zest, juice, and minced garlic creates a sauce that’s tangy, aromatic, and just buttery enough to feel indulgent without being heavy.
• It’s surprisingly versatile. You can serve this shrimp over a bed of pasta or zucchini noodles, alongside rice, or simply with a loaf of crusty bread for dipping — it adapts to whatever you’re craving.
• It feels fancy but is so simple. This dish has a restaurant-quality vibe that will impress anyone you serve it to, yet the process is straightforward and requires no advanced cooking skills.

Ingredients & Tools

• 450 g large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large lemon (you’ll need zest and juice)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
• To taste salt and freshly ground black pepper

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

A little note on the shrimp — I really recommend getting raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp to save time. The white wine adds a lovely depth of acidity, but you can swap it for a splash of chicken broth if you prefer. And don’t skip the fresh lemon zest; it’s where a lot of that beautiful, perfumed citrus oil lives.

Nutrition (per serving)

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

Serves: 3 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Pat your shrimp dry. This is a small step that makes a huge difference. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear, so giving the shrimp a quick pat with a paper towel ensures they get a nice golden color instead of steaming in the pan.
• Mince, don’t crush, the garlic. For this quick-cooking sauce, you want small pieces of garlic that will infuse the butter and oil without burning. A fine mince gives you the best flavor distribution.
• Zest your lemon first. It is infinitely easier to zest a whole, uncut lemon. Do this before you juice it — you’ll get more zest, and it’s far less messy. Trust me on this one.
• Have all your ingredients ready. Because the cooking process is so fast, you won’t have time to chop or measure once you start. Having everything prepped and within arm’s reach (what chefs call *mise en place*) is the key to a stress-free experience.

How to Make Zesty Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• Over angel hair pasta or orzo — The thin pasta or small rice-shaped pasta is fantastic for soaking up every last drop of that lemony, buttery sauce.
• With 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 shrimp.
• Alongside creamy polenta or risotto — The smooth, comforting texture of polenta or a simple lemon risotto creates a wonderful base that lets the shrimp truly shine.

Drinks

• A crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The wine’s natural citrus and herbaceous notes mirror the flavors in the dish, creating a perfect pairing that cleanses the palate.
• Sparkling water with lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are incredibly refreshing and help cut through the richness of the butter.

Something Sweet

• Lemon sorbet — Continuing the citrus theme with a light, palate-cleansing dessert feels like the most natural and satisfying way to end the meal.
• Almond biscotti — The nutty, crunchy cookies are lovely for dipping into a cup of espresso and provide a nice textural contrast after the soft shrimp.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcooking the shrimp. Shrimp go from perfectly tender to rubbery and tough in a matter of seconds. The moment they turn opaque and form a “C” shape, they’re done. Remember, they’ll continue to cook a little from residual heat even after you take them out of the pan.
• Burning the garlic. Garlic burns very easily and becomes bitter, which can ruin the entire sauce. Keep the heat at medium after the initial sear and stir constantly — you just want it to become fragrant and lightly golden.
• Crowding the pan. If you put too many shrimp in the skillet at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. You want a nice, single layer with a little space between each piece to get that beautiful caramelization.
• Adding the lemon zest too early. The delicate citrus oils in the zest can become bitter if cooked for too long. Stirring it in at the very end, off the heat, preserves its bright, floral aroma.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Use frozen shrimp. Honestly, most “fresh” shrimp at the counter were previously frozen anyway. Buying frozen allows you to always have some on hand. Just thaw them overnight in the fridge in a colander so the water drains away.
• Tip: Brown the butter. For a deeper, nuttier flavor, let the butter cook a little longer in the pan until it turns a light golden brown and smells toasty before adding the garlic. It adds a whole new dimension to the sauce.
• Tip: Finish with a cold knob of butter. After you’ve turned off the heat and added the zest, swirl in one last tablespoon of cold, cubed butter. This professional chef’s trick, called *monter au beurre*, makes the sauce incredibly glossy and luxurious.
• Tip: Add capers for a briny kick. If you love a salty, briny flavor, toss in a tablespoon of rinsed capers along with the garlic. They pair beautifully with the lemon and add a wonderful little pop of flavor.

FAQs

Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can do most of the prep ahead of time, but I wouldn’t recommend cooking it in advance. Shrimp are best served immediately after cooking. However, you can peel, devein, and season the shrimp a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. You can also mince the garlic, chop the parsley, and zest/juice the lemon ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, the actual cooking will take just 5 minutes, so it’s still incredibly fast.

What can I use instead of white wine?
No problem at all! The wine adds acidity, so you’ll want to replace it with something with a similar profile. An equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth with a squeeze of extra lemon juice works wonderfully. You could also use a non-alcoholic wine. The goal is to have a liquid to deglaze the pan and build the sauce, so any of these options will do the trick nicely.

My sauce looks a little separated or greasy. What happened?
This usually happens if the heat was a bit too high when you added the final ingredients, causing the butter and oil to split from the lemon juice. Don’t worry, it’s still perfectly safe to eat! To fix it, remove the pan from the heat and vigorously whisk in a splash of cold water or broth. This should help bring the sauce back together into a more cohesive, creamy emulsion.

Can I use pre-cooked shrimp?
I really don’t recommend it for this recipe. Pre-cooked shrimp are already fully cooked and very easy to overcook, making them tough and rubbery if you try to reheat them in the sauce. Starting with raw shrimp allows them to cook gently in the flavorful sauce, absorbing all the lemon and garlic goodness and staying perfectly tender.

How do I know when the shrimp are fully cooked?
Look for both visual and textural cues. Visually, raw shrimp are gray and translucent, while cooked shrimp are pink and opaque. In terms of shape, they will curl into a loose “C”. If they curl into a tight “O”, they are likely overdone. Texture-wise, they should be firm to the touch but still have a slight springback — think of the feel of the fleshy part of your palm when you press it.