So listen, the first time I made garlic butter shrimp, I legit almost ate the whole pan before the rice even finished cooking. I mean, shrimp in butter and garlic? It’s like the cheat code of weeknight cooking. The smell alone—oh man, that sizzling butter with garlic hitting the hot pan—made my neighbor knock just to ask what I was making (awkward but flattering).
And here’s the kicker: it looks fancy, like you put your whole heart into it, but it’s basically: rice cooking in the back, shrimp searing up front, butter doing its magic everywhere. I once forgot to zest the lemon until the very end (don’t do that—the zest wakes the whole dish up), but even then it still slapped.
Honestly, this is the dish I pull out when I need dinner fast, but I also want to trick myself into thinking I went out to eat.
🎯 QUICK FACTS TABLE
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 25 minutes | 4 | Easy |
📝 INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined (leave the tails on if you wanna feel fancy)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (don’t skimp—this is literally the sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (I always use extra, my bad if you’re a vampire)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (keeps the butter from burning—yes, that’s a trick)
- Juice + zest of 1 lemon (the zest is the secret punch, trust me)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (fluffy base—don’t rush the simmer)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro if you’re wild)
- Salt & cracked black pepper (season with attitude)
👩🍳 LET’S COOK!
- Rice First (the silent star): Get the rice going. Rinse it till the water runs clear (seriously, don’t skip unless you like gummy rice). Let it simmer low while you handle the shrimp. You’ll hear little popping sounds as it starts cooking—music to the ears.
- Shrimp Prep: Pat those shrimp dry like you’re tucking them in. Wet shrimp = sad, steamy shrimp. We want sear, not sog. Sprinkle with salt and pepper like you mean it.
- The Sizzle Show: Heat olive oil + half the butter in a big skillet. When you hear that satisfying hiss as a garlic test piece hits, toss in the shrimp. They should hit the pan with a little snap. Cook 1-2 minutes per side till pink and just curling—don’t overcook or they’ll go rubbery (been there, hated it).
- Garlic Butter Bomb: Drop the rest of the butter and all that minced garlic into the pan. The smell? Straight-up heaven. Stir it around so every shrimp gets a buttery hug.
- The Zing: Kill the heat and squeeze lemon juice over the top, plus that zest. It wakes everything up like a cymbal crash. Toss in parsley and give it a quick stir.
- Assembly: Fluff up your rice with a fork (you’ll see the steam puff up like a cloud). Pile those golden shrimp on top. Spoon some of that garlicky butter sauce over everything because duh, you made sauce—use it.
📊 NUTRITION & TIPS
Pro-Tips Section: Little Tweaks, Big Results
- Substitution/Time Saver: No fresh shrimp? Frozen works—just thaw properly and pat dry or you’ll steam the poor things.
- Essential Technique Tip: Butter burns fast—keep the heat medium and use olive oil as backup. Browned butter is gold; burnt butter is tragedy.
❓ READERS ASKED, WE ANSWERED
Q: Can I use brown rice instead of white?
A: Sure thing, but heads up—it’ll take longer to cook. Honestly, I’m impatient so I stick to white on weeknights. If you’ve got time, brown rice adds a nice nutty vibe though.
Q: Can I make this spicy?
A: Oh heck yes. Toss in red pepper flakes when you add the garlic. Instant heat without overpowering the buttery goodness.