This easy garlic butter shrimp recipe takes less than a half hour. The result? A succulent and buttery main course that goes well with rice or on its own as a perfect appetizer. The best quick gluten-free meal or side dish!
How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
It only takes about a half hour, from prep time to serving, to make my garlic butter shrimp.
Here's my step-by-step instructions, with photos, showing how to make it.
The first step is to prepare the shrimp. Make sure they're deveined and shelled.
But keep the tails on! Removing the tails can add time to the prep, and it's not needed if you're sauteeing everything in delicious garlic butter.
Speaking of sauteeing, that's what happens next. I like to cook my garlic butter shrimp in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.
A well-seasoned skillet is perfect for this recipe. And note that you're not even cooking the shrimp in butter. I use olive oil to heat the shrimp in my pan.
Once the shrimp turn pink, take them off the heat. Shrimp cook quickly at medium heat, and they'll turn rubbery if you overcook them.
If anything, the shrimp should be slightly undercooked at this point. Watch them closely.
Once the shrimp have been removed, add the garlic and butter.
I prefer to use fresh garlic, diced, directly from my garden or cellar. If I have fresh garlic scapes available, I'll use those.
The garlic should be lightly browned. Watch these closely too, as diced garlic also cooks pretty quickly.
Add the shrimp back in at this point. This is where to finish the flavor profile. After the shrimp are in, add the rest of the butter and melt it.
This will finish cooking the shrimp. Now's a great time to add fresh lemon juice.
At the very end, add the chopped fresh parsley.
Then, plate it!
Serve with rice, and spoon out the butter once the shrimp is plated.
That's how I make my gluten-free garlic butter shrimp!
Remember, you can also serve this with pasta. Just toss the pasta with the garlic butter shrimp to make sure the flavor covers your noodles.
Why I Love This Garlic Butter Shrimp
I absolutely adore this gluten-free garlic butter shrimp. It's best with fresh garlic, which I grow in my own garden. Plus, I can substitute garlic scapes for garlic cloves if it's early enough in the season.
The best part of the garlic butter shrimp recipe? It's super quick to make. Shrimp doesn't take long to cook, and it doesn't need much extra prep if you plan to leave on the tails.
My garlic butter shrimp, though robust and flavorful, is simplicity itself!
And if you have extra shrimp, you can serve it with a gluten-free sausage shrimp appetizer. Otherwise, store the leftovers until the next night. Then, you can make a hearty shrimp gumbo! These are some of my all-time-favorite seafood recipes.
Ingredients for This Gluten-Free Dish
The ingredients for garlic butter shrimp are mostly in the name. Here's what you'll need.
- Shrimp
- Garlic
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Parsley
- Salt, pepper, and chili flakes
- Lemon
You may also want to save some chopped parsley and lemon wedges to garnish the plate.
If you want something with an Italian flare, you may want to try my similar recipe for gluten-free shrimp scampi.
Looking for something with less spice? Just remove the red pepper flakes!
Too early for fresh garlic? You can use minced garlic from a jar or fresh garlic scapes from your garden.
Equipment Needed to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp
Like the ingredients, this gluten-free shrimp recipe doesn't require much in terms of equipment. Here's the minimum you'll need:
- Sautee pan or large skillet
- Kitchen knife
- Spachula
You may also want a garlic press, a cutting board, and a rice cooker. Those will help make this a full meal, and they can be a time saver if you're in a rush.
The good news? There isn't much to rush here. Garlic is quick to prepare, and shrimp cooks quickly.
Common Questions and Other Ways to Make It
Here are a few common questions I've heard from others making this gluten-free garlic butter shrimp. If you have any other questions, please let me know in the comments. I'm always happy to help!
Is This a Main Dish or an Appetizer?
Garlic Butter Shrimp can be either a main course or an appetizer. The question is quantity. If you're serving it as part of a larger meal, plan for only four or five shrimps per person. if you want to make it as a main course, use a full pound of shrimp and divide it by quarters when serving.
Is Garlic Gluten Free?
You bet! Garlic doesn't contain gluten. Neither do garlic scapes. Here's Beyond Celiac's guide on whether spices and spice mixes include gluten.
How Long Should I Cook My Shrimp?
My garlic butter shrimp recipe cooks the shrimp in two stages. In the first stage, you'll cook the shrimp until they turn pink. Don't worry if they're cooked all the way through at this point. In fact, they shouldn't be. You'll add them back into the butter once the garlic browns. That's when they finish. It only takes about two minutes to cook them in the first part, and maybe a minute in the second.
If you slice one of the cooked shrimp before serving, you shouldn't see any transparent part of the meat. The shrimp is cooked once it loses its translucency and becomes completely opaque.
Do You Season the Rice?
You don't need to season the rice as a side. But if you're looking for extra flavor, try serving it with chopped parsley and mixing in the garlic butter sauce.
How Many People Will This Serve?
My recipe makes enough garlic butter shrimp for four people. If you're serving it as an appetizer instead of a main course, it could serve six or eight.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Shrimp?
You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. Just make sure to thaw the shrimp before cooking. You'll also need them thawed to deshell and devein them (unless you're buying them that way). You can also use precooked shrimp, though I prefer to cook them myself.
If you buy precooked shrimp, just prepare the garlic butter sauce and add the shrimp, parsley, and lemon at the last moment. Note that my recipe calls for either large shrimp or jumbo shrimp. You can cook it with smaller shrimp. They just cook faster.
Can You Save it For Later?
My garlic butter shrimp can be stored for up to two days in the refrigerator. Just use an airtight container. Store the garlic butter and shrimp together, and remember that the butter will resolidify in the fridge. To reheat it, just add it to your skilled at a low heat until the butter melts.
What Do You Serve with It?
You can serve my garlic butter shrimp with veggies, especially grilled or sauteed veggies. I like it with a side of lemon asparagus.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please let me know in the comments! It's always fun to hear when someone makes one of my recipes, and your feedback can help others make the same dish.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Rich, buttery garlic butter shrimp made with gluten-free ingredients. This is an absolute must for seafood lovers.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, (keep the tails on)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper, grounded
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Cooked Rice, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Pinch freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, marinade shrimps with salt and black pepper. Rest it for 15 minutes.
- Preheat a large skillet (ironcast) over a medium to low heat. Add olive oil. Cook the marinated shrimp for 2 minutes, flip halfway.
- Remove the shrimps from the skillet and set aside.
- Add 2 tbsp of butter, once it melts, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add chili flakes and lemon juice.
- Add cooked shrimps and the rest of butter. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and mix well.
- Turn off from the heat and serve with rice, lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 321Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 262mgSodium: 1369mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 28g
This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands used at the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.
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