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Easy Lemon and Herb Shrimp Recipe for a Quick Skillet Dinner

Easy Lemon and Herb Shrimp

Large shrimp cook quickly in a garlic-infused olive oil and butter sauce finished with fresh lemon, parsley, and basil. Serve immediately with rice, pasta, couscous, or crusty bread.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 pound Large shrimp, peeled and deveined; tails may be left on
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 medium Medium lemon
Herbs and Seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Serving
  • As needed Lemon wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then season them with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Finely grate about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Keep the zest and juice in separate small bowls until the shrimp are cooked.
  3. Heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned.
  5. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once, until pink, opaque, and just cooked through.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and chopped basil.
  7. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Notes

Patting the shrimp dry helps them cook quickly instead of steaming. Shrimp are ready when opaque and loosely curled into a C shape; tightly curled shrimp may be overcooked. For an herb variation, replace the 1 tablespoon fresh basil with 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning.