Garlic Butter Shrimp

Shrimp is the cheat code of weeknight cooking. It goes from raw to dinner in roughly four minutes, takes flavour brilliantly, and feels far more special than the effort really warrants.

This is the version I make over and over. The sauce is the point — I'd happily eat it with a spoon — so make sure you have bread or rice nearby.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When it shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 minute per side until just pink. Lift them onto a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
4. Pour in the lemon juice, swirl, then return the shrimp and any resting juices to the pan. Toss for 30 seconds to coat.
5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately with bread, rice, or piled onto pasta.

Cooking tips

• Dry shrimp = a proper sear. Wet shrimp = steamed, sad shrimp.
• Take them off the heat the moment they turn pink — they keep cooking from residual heat.
• Frozen shrimp work perfectly. Thaw them in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.

More like this

If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll find more of my favourite main dishes recipes in the archive, or browse the full collection.