Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp
Extra large shrimp cook with garlic and lemon for this Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp that’s perfect for a special low-carb meal!
PIN Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp to make it later!
I grew up in a family where my father loved shrimp and my mother hated them, and it was a sign of how much my mom loved my dad that periodically she would heat up a big pot of oil and make deep-fried shrimp for Dad and the other family members who liked it. I was always daddy’s girl, so I loved everything my father ate, including rare steak, Roquefort dressing on salad, onion sandwiches, and shrimp of any kind.
When you splurge on big shrimp like these (called prawns in many places) there are many good ways to serve them, but I loved this Easy Low-Carb Garlic and Lemon Shrimp that features shrimp cooked quickly with minced fresh garlic and then served with lemon juice and lemon zest added at the very end.
The inspiring recipe sauteed the shrimp in 3 tablespoons of melted butter, which no doubt would taste fantastic; use that if you prefer. I used one tablespoon of butter along with two tablespoons of olive oil in the version I made; choose the ratio of butter to olive oil that you prefer, but do cook carefully if you use all butter because butter burns more easily than olive oil.
How to Make Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp:
(Scroll down for complete printable recipe.)
- I used 21-25 count shrimp, which seemed perfect for this recipe. Let the shrimp thaw overnight in the refrigerator the day before you’re going to cook them. (Buy pre-peeled shrimp or peel them when they’ve thawed.)
- Zest and juice the lemon and mince the garlic so it’s ready when you start to cook the shrimp.
- Heat the olive oil and melt the butter over medium-high heat. I used a pan that could be used to serve the shrimp.
- When the oil/butter is hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until they just start to look pink on the edges. This won’t take more than 1-2 minutes.
- Turn all the shrimp over and add the garlic. Continue to cook until Low-Carb Garlic and Lemon Shrimp are done, not more than 3-4 minutes more.
- Turn off heat as soon as the shrimp are barely firm and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and a tiny bit of salt if desired.
Serve Low-Carb Garlic and Lemon Shrimp hot and wait for compliments.
More Tasty Recipes for Shrimp:
Low-Carb Roasted Asian Shrimp and Brussels Sprouts Sheet Pan Meal ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp ~ Recipe Girl
Quick and Easy Spicy Broiled Shrimp ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Caesar Salad with Oven-Roasted Shrimp ~ Valerie’s Kitchen
Low-Carb Mediterranean Shrimp over Spinach ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Skillet Shrimp Fajitas ~ Taste and Tell
Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp
Easy Low-Carb Garlic and Lemon Shrimp make a perfect quick and easy dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. jumbo shrimp, thawed if frozen (see notes)
- 2 T olive oil (see notes)
- 1 T butter
- 2 T finely minced garlic
- 2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 T lemon zest (or a little less if you’re not that fond of lemon zest)
- sea salt to taste (I did not use much salt)
Instructions
- If using frozen shrimp thaw them over night in the refrigerator. Drain shrimp and pat dry.
- Zest one large lemon and then squeeze the juice, to yield at least 2 T juice and close to 1 T lemon zest. Finely mince garlic cloves to make 2 T minced garlic.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat and then melt the butter, using a large heavy pan. (I used a pan that was nice enough to serve the shrimp from, which helps keep them hot.) Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook just until they start to turn pink at the edges, not more than 1-2 minutes.
- Turn shrimp over quickly and add the minced garlic. Continue to cook until shrimp are barely firm, probably not more than 3-4 minutes more. (Don’t overcook; the shrimp will continue to cook a little in the hot pan.)
- Turn off heat and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt as desired and stir to coat shrimp. Serve immediately.
Notes
I used 21-25 per pound size, which was good for this recipe. Buy pre-peeled shrimp or peel them when they have thawed. Use the ratio of butter and olive oil you prefer, but be careful if you use all or mostly butter as it burns more easily than olive oil. Recipe adapted slightly from Giant Garlic Shrimp in Sunset Magazine Best Recipes 2012, but I could not find the recipe online.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 247mgSodium: 1243mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 26g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Shrimp are a wonderful ingredient for carb-conscious eating, and these Low-Carb Garlic and Lemon Shrimp are perfect for any phase of the South Beach Diet or any other type of low-carb diet plan. South Beach would recommend olive oil over butter in this recipe. Some types of low-carb diet plans would probably use all butter; take your choice.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Seafood Recipes 0r Quick Recipes to find more recipes like this one.Use the Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
46 Comments on “Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp”
Talk about AMAZING!! I needed a quick & easy (of course had to be tasty) dinner. This was perfect- lite & flavorful! Husband asked for more, lol!! He said, “You need to make 2 lbs next time!” Your recipe is absolutely a keeper!!
So glad you guys enjoyed it!
This was delicious! We served the shrimp with quinoa and air fried Brussel sprouts and cauliflower. The lemon sauce from the shrimp was so wonderful on top of the sides! We sprinkled a bit of Parmesan cheese on top of all of it!
It’s becoming a family favorite!
So glad you enjoyed it! I think your dinner sounds great!
This was so yummy! Quick, easy and very tasty! We will be having this often!
So glad you enjoyed it!