Pan Seared Shrimp

This Pan Seared Shrimp with Garlic Butter is so easy to make and so tasty. This sautéed shrimp takes less than 20 minutes to make from start to finish. Serve it over a bed of my Coconut Cilantro Rice or toss them into pasta and you have a delicious dinner in no time at all!

this recipe

Shrimp is one of my favorite things to eat for its fast cook time. For a quick meal at home, start the rice cooker or boil some pasta and you are minutes away from a really elegant meal.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe:
• The Ingredients:
• Variations and Substitutions for the Recipe:
• Money Saving Tip:
• How to Make Pan Seared Shrimp:
• Expert Tips:
• Recipe FAQs:
• What to Serve with Garlic Butter Shrimp:
• Storing Leftovers:
• Other Dinner Recipes You Will Love:
• Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

• It is so yummy tossed in a flavorful garlic butter
• The ingredients are really simple
• This recipe cooks so fast, and goes great with pasta or rice
• Shrimp are healthy and a source of protein and omegas

If you are meal planning for the week, make sure to try my Zucchini Ricotta Roll Ups, Couscous Stuffed Peppers and Oven Baked Panko Chicken.

The Ingredients:

Shrimp-I used Argentina shrimp, which I buy frequently. They are medium in size, have a mild taste, and a fresh crunchy texture when bitten into. You can use any kind of shrimp in this recipe, but do try and find something medium in size. If saving time is most important to you, buy the Shrimp already peeled and deveined. However, if you are on a budget, check out my money saving tip below.

Garlic & Butter-My favorite flavor to pair with shrimp. The garlic and butter create the perfect combo.

Lemon Juice- For a touch of citrus and acidity. Using lemon or lime juice in seafood helps to balance the salty briny flavors from the sea.

Salt, Pepper and Onion Powder- For seasoning

Olive Oil-Used to pan sear the shrimp. It has a higher burning point than butter and helps the butter from burning.

Variations and Substitutions for the Recipe:

If you can't find pink argentina shrimp, you can use other varieties like white shrimp. Look for shrimp that is medium to large in size.

Looking for a spicier shrimp? Add in ½ teaspoon of chili powder with ½ teaspoon ground cumin in with the onion powder and use lime juice instead of lemon. This will give you a chili lime flavored shrimp and a nice little kick. Top it with fresh cilantro instead of parsley.

Love Shrimp recipes? Don't forget to try my BBQ Shrimp Recipe and Thai Shrimp Tacos too!

Money Saving Tip:

I am a huge fan of buying shrimp already peeled and deveined, but these days I'm always trying to save a buck. If you are on a budget, buy them in the shell and I will walk you through how to clean them. It takes about 10 minutes, and it's not difficult. Last time I went to the grocery store, they were $10 more per pound to buy the shrimp already peeled and deveined. Crazy right?

How to Make Pan Seared Shrimp:

Watch this short recipe video and be sure to Subscribe on YouTube. It's free and I share NEW recipe videos every week!

Here are the Step by Step Instructions to make this Pan Seared Shrimp.

Step 1: Prepare the Shrimp

Start by prepping the shrimp. If you are peeling and deveining, pull off the shell. Cut the back of the shrimp with a paring knife and pull out the vein.

Here is a really fantastic video from Food Network, showing the process if you are new to prepping shrimp.

Step 2: Season the Shrimp

Pat dry the shrimp and place into a large bowl. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper and onion powder and toss to combine.

Step 3: Pan Sear the Shrimp

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. I like using a Stainless skillet because they distribute heat really well and get an excellent sear on the shrimp.

Into the skillet, add in remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter. Once it melts, add in the Shrimp, laying them all onto one side. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 4: Flip the Shrimp

Flip each shrimp and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The internal temperature should read 145 degrees.

Top with fresh parsley and Enjoy!

Expert Tips:

• If you are peeling and deveining the shrimp, take your time for this part. Nothing grosses me out more than when I go to a restaurant and see the chef didn't take the time to clean & devein the shrimp properly.
• When pan searing or frying shrimp, a stainless steel skillet is best. It distributes the heat evenly and puts the perfect sear on fish and meat.
• Don't overcook the shrimp. After 2 to 3 minutes on each side, the internal temperature should read 145 degrees. Immediately transfer to a serving dish so that the shrimp doesn't continue to cook.
• If you don't have an instant read thermometer at home, I highly suggest buying one. I have my favorite brand linked below in the recipe card. It's about $60 and it is a life saver in the kitchen.

Recipe FAQs:

What to Serve with Garlic Butter Shrimp:

This shrimp recipe is so versatile. It goes really well any kind of rice, like this Coconut Lime Rice. Make a batch of my Mango Pico De Gallo recipe too!

If you want to go a little extra, try serving it with my creamy garlic parmesan risotto. It's so good and not intimidating like some risotto recipes are.

Craving pasta with shrimp? Toss it into my pink sauce pasta with prosciutto. I'm drooling right now. Oh, and don't forget my air fryer garlic bread.

Storing Leftovers:

If you have any leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can toss these into salads, wraps or I love making Shrimp Spring Rolls. So yummy!

Other Dinner Recipes You Will Love:

If you tried this Pan Seared Shrimp Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

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