You Only Need 5 Minutes (Yes, Really) to Make This Garlic Shrimp

This easy weeknight skillet is a lifesaver on a busy day. Vicky Wasik/TNS

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 and 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 best enjoyed fresh. If you’re a family of one or two, this recipe can easily be halved.

Garlic Butter Shrimp

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound peeled and de-veined 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

Directions

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 note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator

for up to two days.

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