This Spicy Garlic Butter Shrimp comes together in under 10 minutes with minimal ingredients that pack a ton of flavor. A delicious shrimp recipe that's great as a main dish or an appetizer - however you serve it, it'll be devoured just as quickly as it was made!
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Ingredients
- Shrimp: This recipe calls for 1 pound of fresh shrimp. Make sure it's uncooked shrimp. You could use frozen shrimp, but defrost them first.
- Butter: Butter makes this sauce super silky - use unsalted!
- Garlic: Of course we have plenty of garlic here.
- Red pepper flakes: This is where the spice comes in.
- Dry white wine: to deglaze, add flavor, and make the base of the sauce along with the butter.
- Parsley: Finish it off with something fresh.
Step by step instructions
1. Cook the shrimp. In your sauté pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoon of butter. Once it is heated add the shrimp in one layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper - cook 2-3 minutes on both sides until opaque and slightly white. Remove from the pan and set aside
2. Cook the garlic & pepper. To the same pan you used to cook the shrimp, add the remaining 2 tablespoon butter. Once melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the wine. Then add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan.
4. Combine it all. Add the shrimp back into the pan, then add the lemon juice and parsley and mix everything to combine.
Tips and tricks
- Don't step away! This dish comes together in minutes and if you step away it'll burn.
- Cook the shrimp just 2-3 minutes on both sides! They're done when they are no longer the greyish translucent color and turn into a more whiteish opaque color.
- Use raw shrimp for this recipe. This is so you get all the delicious flavor into the sauce from cooking the shrimp in the pan that you also make the sauce in.
- If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure they're defrosted before you add them to the pan. To defrost frozen shrimp submerge the unopened bag in a bowl of cold water for 45 minutes.
- Use a dry white wine - a Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Blanc. I always like to use a wine that I'd also enjoy drinking, because you will only use a little of the bottle for the recipe.
What to serve with garlic butter shrimp
One of the beautiful things about this dish is its versatility - it can be an appetizer for a few people or a main protein for dinner for 2 - and it pairs so well with other dishes/sides!
- To keep it simple, serve with some crusty bread, pasta, or rice
- For a few recipe ideas, try this everyday salad, baked potato wedges, roasted broccoli, linguine with lemon and tomatoes.
FAQs
Wild shrimp are the best, I always buy them cleaned up with the tails still on.
Sure can! Any longer than 3ish minutes on both sides and you'll very likely over cook them. Will they be bad overcooked? No! Just a different texture that isn't as ideal.
Yeah! You can adjust the spice to your liking. I have a relatively average spice tolerance and I really like the kick of these. So if you have a low tolerance reduce the red pepper flakes a bit.
More shrimp recipes
📖 Recipe
Spicy Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In your sauté pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoon of butter. Once it is heated add the shrimp in one layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper - cook 2-3 minutes on both sides until opaque and slightly white. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan you used to cook the shrimp, add the remaining 2 tablespoon butter. Once melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the shrimp back into the pan and finish with lemon juice and parsley –mix everything to combine and serve immediately.
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