Sautéed Shrimp
I will be making this shrimp recipe every time! Super yummy and quick. 😊 ~Maddy
Why Is My Sautéed Shrimp So Good!
- Rubbery, overcooked shrimp is the number one complaint people have about cooking shrimp at home, and I made sure to share all my knowledge about avoiding it and getting juicy, plump shrimp every time.
- This is the same method I used in professional kitchens, just made simple for home.
- It comes together faster than delivery, so it actually saves you time on a busy night.
- Nothing fancy required here, just ingredients you probably already have.
- The seasoning brings out the natural sweetness of the shrimp instead of hiding it.
- It’s just one skillet, so cleanup is quick even on a night you don’t feel like cooking.
- It pairs with just about any side dish you can think of.
Table of Contents
What Kind of Shrimp to Buy
Choosing the right shrimp at the store can feel overwhelming, but I have a few tips for you to consider:
- Size Matters: Look for large or jumbo shrimp, often labeled as 21-25 count per pound. This size is ideal for sautéing as they are less likely to overcook quickly, giving you a juicy, plump bite every time. Smaller shrimp can easily become tough in the hot pan. (More shrimp sizes to consider include U/15: Under 15 shrimp per pound, 16/20: 16 to 20 shrimp per pound.)
- Fresh vs. Frozen: Don’t hesitate to buy frozen shrimp! Unless you live on the coast, the “fresh” shrimp at the seafood counter is often just thawed frozen shrimp. Buying it frozen gives you more control over freshness. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before you’re ready to cook.
- Save Time on Prep: To make this a true 10-minute meal, I highly recommend buying shrimp that is already peeled and deveined. The package will typically say “P&D.” Or you can check the seafood counter at the grocery store. While you can certainly do it yourself, having this prep work done for you is a huge time-saver on a busy weeknight.
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Raw shrimp – You can use either fresh or frozen, just be sure that it’s not pre-cooked. If you want to make a recipe using frozen shrimp, you’ll need to let it thaw completely first.
Cooking oil – Use any variety of cooking oil you like. I use canola for its mild, neutral flavor. Avocado oil, mild tasting olive oil, and vegetable oil are good choices as well.
Unsalted butter – To keep the sodium lower and to prevent the dish from being too salty, unsalted butter is the best option.
Fresh garlic cloves – Use fresh garlic, it always has the best flavor. So much better than buying garlic that’s already minced, pressed, or peeled because it does change flavor at it’s preserved, packaged, and sits on the shelves.
Best Seasoning for Shrimp –
The best way to season shrimp is with flavors that will balance out any taste of the sea water they came from. Citrus fruit like lemon and lime, garlic, herbs, are the flavor that will always compliments seafood. Simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and paprika are great options, because they balance out most flavors well and all go very well together.
If you like spicy flavors, blackened shrimp is another great recipe to try!
How To Make Sauteed Shrimp: Step by Step and Tips
- If you got shrimp in shells, make sure to clean the shrimp first. You should always peel and devein shrimp before cooking (or at least devein) or get ones already cleaned. The “vein” is actually their digestive tracked and you don’t want to be eating that!
- Seasoning shrimp. Now that we have the beautifully cleaned and dried shrimp, pat them dry, and add them into a mixing bowl. Add in all the seasoning, oil, and lemon juice and toss everything together so that each piece is evenly seasoned. Be gently because the shrimp is quite delicate.
- Preheat the skillet completely. This is the most important step in the whole recipe. Place an empty, dry skillet over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes before adding anything. If you add fat too soon, it will start to burn before the pan is actually hot enough to sear.
- Add the shrimp in one even layer. Once the pan is hot, add the oil and spread it around, then lay the shrimp in a single layer without overlapping or crowding. If your pan isn’t big enough for all the shrimp to lie flat, cook in batches instead.
- Leave it alone. Don’t touch the shrimp until it’s ready to flip. Constantly moving it is what prevents a good sear. Let it cook undisturbed for about 1.5-2 minutes, until opaque on that side.
- Add the butter, then flip. Add butter to the pan now, not at the start, so it has time to melt without burning. Flip each shrimp and let the other side cook another minute or two, again without touching it.
- Know exactly when to pull it. The shrimp is done the moment it turns fully opaque and pink, with no gray or translucent spots left. It will also curl into a loose “C” shape. If it curls into a tight “O,” it’s a sign it’s gone slightly too far. Take it out of the pan immediately, since residual heat keeps cooking it even off the burner.
Expert tip: As long as shrimp stays in the hot pan, it keeps cooking. Pulling it out the second it’s opaque is what separates tender shrimp from rubbery shrimp.
- Turn the drippings into a quick pan sauce. If you’re making the optional sauce, don’t wipe out the pan. Melt the butter right into those browned bits, pour in the wine, and let it simmer and reduce by about half. Whisk in the lemon juice and stock, taste before adding any salt since the pan already has plenty of flavor, then spoon it right over the shrimp.
Ways to Serve Sautéed Shrimp
This sautéed shrimp is fantastic on its own, but its simple, savory flavor makes it incredibly versatile. Here are a few of my favorite ways to turn it into a full meal:
- Shrimp for Shrimp Tacos: Tuck the warm shrimp into tortillas with pico de gallo and guacamole for an easy taco night.
- Serve Over Rice Pilaf: My rice pilaf recipe soaks up the garlic butter pan sauce beautifully and turns this into a full dinner in one bowl.
- Toss Into a Pasta Salad: Add the shrimp to my Mediterranean orzo salad for a bright, filling lunch.
- Top a Fresh Salad: Let the shrimp cool slightly and add it to a Caesar salad or a panzanella salad instead of chicken.
- Serve as an Appetizer: Pile the shrimp onto a platter with lemon wedges for spritzing, for a quick, crowd-pleasing starter.
Storing and Reheating Recommendation
Storing: If you have any leftover shrimp, you can store them in the air-tight container, in the refrigerator, for 2-3 days.
Although, I don’t usually recommend reheating seafood, you can technically do it. Shrimp is not bad reheated, especially if they are larger sizes. (Do note that reheated shrimp will not taste as good as fresh and the texture won’t be the same.)
To reheat shrimp, preheat a cooking pan over medium heat and a little bit of butter if desired, and reheat shrimp just until it’s heated through. (DON’T use microwave to reheat shrimp, it will be rubbery.)
Shrimp Recipe FAQs
On average, shrimp take 2-3 minutes to cook completely. Jumbo shrimp could take 4-6 minutes, depending on the actual size and thickness. You are looking for the shrimp to turn completely opaque to be done, and no more.
Look for two things: the flesh should be fully opaque with no gray or translucent spots, and the shrimp should curl into a loose “C” shape. If it curls into a tight “O,” it’s overcooked.
Yes. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator first, then pat it very dry before seasoning.
Technically, but I don’t recommend it. Pre-cooked shrimp will overcook and turn rubbery almost instantly in a hot pan since it’s already been cooked once. Save pre-cooked shrimp for cold dishes, like shrimp salad, and use raw shrimp any time you’re sautéing or cooking.
Leaving tails on or taking them off will not affect how the shrimp is cooked, it’s purely for aesthetic. If you want to serve them as an appetizer, you can leave tails on. If you’re serving them over pasta, it will be a lot easier to eat with pasta if you take tails off.
More Shrimp Recipes To Try
- Shrimp Alfredo
- Shrimp Stir Fry
- Cajun Grilled Shrimp
- Shrimp Scampi
- Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Shrimp and Grits
- Surf and Turf
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Sautéed Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2-1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp parsley
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- parsley for garnish
Optional Sauce:
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white wine like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp vegetable stock or chickens stock
Instructions
Prepare shrimp if needed:
- If you need to, peel and devein shrimp first or purchase the shrimp that are already cleaned and deveined. You can learn how to peel and devein shrimp here.
- You can choose to leave the shrimp tails on or off. It does not change the taste at all. The tails are left on purely for presentation.
Cooking Shrimp:
- Once the shrimp is clean, pat them dry with a paper towel and place into a mixing bowl.
- Add pressed garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, parsley, and paprika. Mix well to make to all shrimp is coated evenly.
- Preheat a cooking pan over medium to medium-high heat first.
- Once the pan in hot, add oil and spread it around. Add shrimp in one even layer and let them cook until opaque on that side. This will only take a couple of minutes.
- Add butter while shrimp is cooking.
- Flip each shrimp onto the other side and let them cook until opaque on that side.
- Take shrimp out of the pan right away so they don't keep cooking and garnish with a little more parsley if you'd like.
How long do shrimp take to cook:
- On average, shrimp take 2-3 minutes to cook completely. Jumbo shrimp could take 4-6 minutes, depending on the actual size and thickness. You are looking for the shrimp to turn completely opaque to be done, and no more.
Optional Sauce:
- Right after you take the shrimp out, melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan, then add 1/2 cup of white wine. Let it simmer and reduce by about half over medium heat.
- Whisk in 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice and a couple of tablespoons of vegetable or chicken stock. There will be a lot of flavor left in the pan from cooking the shrimp but you may still need a little bit of salt. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Terrific! I have figured out how to do this dinner for six with green salad and fresh asparagus. My first time really drying the shrimp before cooking…I’m a believer now.
That’s wonderful! It sounds like you’ve got a perfect dinner planned. Drying the shrimp before cooking really does make a difference, doesn’t it? I am so glad you liked it!
I didn’t have paprika or unsalted butter so I used 1/2 tsp of Johnny’s Seasoned Salt and added 2 TBSP of salted butter at the end and the recipe was still amazing. I want to get some wine so I can try the sauce.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 😊 Those sound like great substitutions, and I’m happy to hear it still turned out delicious. The white wine adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the sauce, so I definitely recommend giving it a try next time if you can. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
It’s delicious and easy to prepare with most of the seasonings being pantry stables.
So glad you liked it, Barbara!
Great easy shrimp dinner! I substituted Old Bay for the paprika as my sister doesn’t care for paprika. Used yellow rice, but even though it was still great. I’d use Jasmine rice the next time! It will be a repeat dinner!
I am so glad you liked it and made it your own!
Quick, easy, and delicious! I have even used precooked shrimp then pair it with cilantro lime rice. Immediately became a favorite! And bonus! It’s healthy!
I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for the tip with the premade shrimp when you need it in a hurry! 🙂
I will be making this shrimp recipe every time! Super yummy and quick. 😊
That makes my day to hear! 😊 I’m so glad you loved it Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, and I hope you enjoy it many more times.
Followed directions exactly. Absolutely delicious. I might use larger shrimp next time, but loved it. Will make again and again.
I am so glad you liked it so much, David!
That was really delicious!
Thanks, Pat! I am so glad you liked it!
My favorite way to eat shrimp!
I love hearing that! 😊 Shrimp is so versatile, and this is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
The shrimp was very easy to prepare. My hubs is not a fan of seafood but it’s lent … I thought it was easy to prepare was on the table quickly and tasted very good. I may add a little seafood seasoning the next time I make it. The sauce is a must for serving Uber rice. I will make it again
Thanks, Denise! I am so happy to hear your husband liked it!
Quick, easy, and absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Susan!
I made this but without the sauce. Still, very tasty and a snap to put together. The family loved it!
I am so glad you liked them, Kristine!
Delicious! Love the sauce too!
Thank you, Cayce!
This seasoning for this recipe tasted amazing. Quick and easy but full of flavor for sure!
Thank you, Melissa! Glad you liked it!