Garlic Butter Shrimp
Published September 29, 2021 • Updated March 7, 2026
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I’ve been making this shrimp recipe weekly since I started keto in 2012, and it’s still in heavy rotation. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes, uses five ingredients I always have on hand, and the sauce is what makes everyone come back for seconds. It’s one of those dinners I never have to think about, which is why it shows up on my table more than almost anything else.
The technique that changed everything for me was flavoring each component on its own. I coat the shrimp in olive oil, salt, and pepper before it ever hits the pan. Then the butter and garlic get their own time in the skillet so the garlic blooms without burning. When I add the coated shrimp, I pour that olive oil right in too. It creates more sauce, which matters when you’re feeding a crowd or want extra to spoon over your sides.
If you’re cooking in cast iron, drop your heat a notch before adding the garlic. Cast iron holds heat so well that medium-high can burn five cloves fast. I add mine when the butter is just barely foamy, not fully bubbling. That 30 seconds of patience makes the difference between golden garlic and bitter garlic.
For serving, I keep it simple most nights. A squeeze of lemon juice and maybe some red pepper flakes for heat. This works on its own as a high-protein dinner, but I also serve it over cauliflower rice, heart of palm pasta, or zucchini noodles for a full meal. If you want more seafood ideas, poke bowls are another fast dinner I reach for, and my fiesta baked cod is a nice change of pace from shrimp.
One of my readers, Allison, made this over Immi ramen with sliced mini peppers and green onions instead of parsley. I hadn’t thought to pair it that way, but the crunch from the peppers with all that sauce sounds right. That’s what I love about this recipe. It’s a base you can build on however you want.
I reach for shrimp more than chicken most weeks. It cooks faster, absorbs whatever flavors you give it, and I don’t have to think about macros since it’s basically zero carb. It’s also packed with iron, magnesium, B12, and zinc, which is a nice bonus when you’re eating it as often as I do.
If you’re building out your seafood rotation, try my air fryer salmon or bacon wrapped cod. Both are under 30 minutes and part of my regular weekly lineup.
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Ingredients
1 lb raw shrimp (thawed, deveined, peeled) -
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/4 teaspoon pepper
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter
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5 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Sauté butter and garlic
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute, or until simmering and fragrant.
Cook the shrimp
Place the shrimp into the flavored butter, cook for two minutes then toss and cook for another three minutes or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. (120 internal temp)
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen shrimp?
I use frozen shrimp for this all the time. Just make sure they're fully thawed before cooking. I thaw mine in the fridge overnight, or if I forgot to plan ahead, I run them under cold water for about five minutes. Pat them dry before coating in olive oil so the butter doesn't splatter when they hit the pan.
What size shrimp works best for this recipe?
I use 21/25 count (that's 21 to 25 shrimp per pound) because they're big enough to get a solid sear but cook through in the same five minutes the recipe calls for. Jumbo 16/20 work too, but I add about 30 seconds per side since they're thicker. I wouldn't go smaller than 26/30 for this recipe. Smaller shrimp overcook before the garlic has time to bloom, and you lose that window where everything finishes together.
How do I get a better sear on shrimp?
I pat my shrimp completely dry before coating them in olive oil. Wet shrimp steam instead of searing, and you get that grayish color instead of pink with golden edges. I lay mine on a paper towel and press another one on top. The other thing that made a difference for me was not crowding the pan. I cook in a single layer with space between each shrimp so they actually brown. If I'm doing a double batch, I cook in two rounds.
What other herbs work besides parsley?
I've swapped in fresh basil, dill, and chives depending on what I have on hand. Dill gives it more of a lemon-butter seafood flavor, and basil goes well if you're serving this over something tomato-based. One of my readers used sliced green onions and loved the result. I'd skip dried herbs here since the fresh flavor really matters with such a simple sauce.
Can I make this with a creamy sauce?
I've done this by adding two tablespoons of heavy cream right after the shrimp comes out of the pan. I let the cream reduce with the leftover garlic and butter for about 30 seconds, then pour it back over the shrimp. It turns into more of a Tuscan-style dish, and I like it best over zucchini noodles. Two tablespoons of cream only adds about 1g carb to the whole batch, so it stays keto-friendly.
Can I use olive oil instead of butter?
I've made this with all olive oil for a friend who's dairy-free, and it still works. You lose some of the richness that butter brings, but the garlic flavor actually comes through stronger. Ghee is my preferred swap when I want that buttery depth without the dairy.
Can I add wine to the sauce?
I add a splash of dry white wine when I'm cooking for company. After the garlic blooms in the butter, I pour in about two tablespoons and let it reduce for 30 seconds before adding the shrimp. It adds a brightness that balances the richness of the butter. I usually reach for sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
Can I make this ahead of time?
I've prepped the olive oil coating up to four hours ahead and kept the shrimp covered in the fridge. The actual cooking takes five minutes, so making it fully ahead doesn't save much. Shrimp is best right out of the pan. If I have leftovers, I store them in an airtight container for up to two days and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low with a little extra butter. Takes about two minutes. I avoid the microwave since it tends to make shrimp rubbery.
Tried a few garlic butter shrimp recipes and they always fell flat. Seasoning the shrimp before it hits the butter actually made a noticeable difference. Keeping this one.
Right, because butter coats but doesn't penetrate. The olive oil and seasoning step is what actually flavors the shrimp.
I stopped ordering garlic butter shrimp out when I went keto, kind of just wrote it off. Made this on a cold Tuesday night with the full 5 cloves and the house smelled incredible. Would squeeze a little lemon over it next time but that's just me.
Do the lemon. Just a little right at the end, it cuts through the butter and wakes the whole thing up. And yeah, five cloves.
I do almost all my stovetop cooking in cast iron, but worried the garlic will burn before the shrimp finish since it holds heat so aggressively. Drop the temp a notch, or just keep a close eye on it?
Lower the temp first, then add the garlic. Cast iron holds heat so well that medium-high can hit garlic-burn territory fast with 5 cloves. I add mine when the butter is just barely foamy, not fully bubbling.
We loved this for a quick, high protein meal. We used Immi Ramen under the shrimp because we already had cauliflower rice a couple of times this week. We did use the seasoning packet with the ramen, but not with the liquid. Didn't have parsley so used sliced green onions. Also added sliced red and yellow mini-peppers in with the garlic to add a little bulk and color. Thanks for a tasty and easy recipe!
Immi ramen as the base, that's new. The peppers would add a nice crunch with the garlic.
This is easy and delicious!
The fresh parsley at the end is the one thing I won't skip. Brightens the whole pan.