Butter Lemon Garlic Shrimp (20 Minute Recipe) + Video

Lemon Garlic Shrimp is bursting with flavor, truly better than any restaurant. Featuring an irresistible butter sauce, skillet garlic lemon shrimp is ready in just 20 minutes! Simple ingredients perfectly come together to create this lemon garlic butter shrimp recipe! 

You’re going to love the fresh flavor of this shrimp dish. People tend to think that cooking shrimp is difficult, but it’s really quite an easy weeknight meal. 

Your taste buds will love the tangy lemon flavoring of new recipes like this! 

I love using fresh ingredients to make a delicious dinner, and then lemony garlic butter shrimp never disappoints. 

It’s amazing what a little bit of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest paired with raw shrimp can do! (and yes, save yourself some time and buy the deveined shrimp – no one has time to spend hours on fresh shrimp cleaning it and getting it ready!) 

You can cook the large shrimp and enjoy them just like they are, or turn this into an amazing lemon garlic shrimp pasta. 

The succulent shrimp give you options – and options are always good! Follow the simple steps on the recipe card below to get this on the dinner table tonight! 

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Summer is the perfect time for cooking with seafood — and juicy shrimp is one of our favorite types!

Beneath tender lemon butter garlic shrimp is a silky sauce that makes this dish perfect over a bed of steamed vegetables, rice, or pasta.

There are so many ways to prepare shrimp, from Cajun pasta and tacos to skewers on the smoker!

You can even make a hot party dip with this versatile shellfish, perfect for a holiday or game day appetizer.

Tips for Making Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp

• Cut down on prep time. 

If you buy your shrimp already cleaned and deveined, you will save yourself quite a bit of time. 

Otherwise, you will need to clean, peel, and devein shrimp yourself before making this lemon garlic shrimp recipe.

• Use the freshest ingredients.

You won’t believe how much better the flavor is when you use freshly squeezed lemon juice and chop whole garlic cloves yourself! 

Garnish with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge for a restaurant-quality presentation.

• Swap in other seafood!

For a slightly different flavor, you can substitute half of the shrimp with bay scallops instead.

Prepare the recipe for lemon butter garlic shrimp the same as directed — no adjustments needed.

Flavor and Recipe Variations to Try

It’s so easy to customize garlic lemon shrimp recipes depending on what you’re in the mood for or any ingredients you have on hand.

Plus, you can keep garlic lemon shrimp in rotation without getting tired of it!

• Add a bit of honey to the pan while you cook the shrimp.
• Include chopped fresh basil or sage in the butter sauce.
• Create a spicier dish with a dash of red pepper flakes.
• Saute onions and mushrooms in the pan before adding the shrimp. 
• Brighten lemon garlic shrimp with herbaceous cilantro as a garnish.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Recipe FAQ

Storing and Reheating Garlic Lemon Shrimp

Transfer cooled leftovers (including sauce) to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 to 3 months. 

Reheat lemon garlic shrimp back on the stovetop until warmed through. Avoid microwaving, as this will make the shrimps rubbery.

And if frozen, be sure to let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Originally published May 2015, updated and republished July 2025

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