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Home » Main Dish

Published: Jul 11, 2022 · Modified: Feb 23, 2025 by Kathy

Pan Fried Shrimp

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Pasta topped with cooked shrimp.

Quick, easy and delicious pan fried shrimp is perfect for weeknight dinners. Made with shrimp, butter, garlic, lemon and a bit of seasoning. Perfect served with Garlic Butter Pasta!

Ready in just 15 minutes!

Shrimp on top of pasta in a bowl.

Fast and easy

Talk about quick and delicious! This shrimp comes together so easily that dinner will be ready in no time at all.

Keep a package of shrimp in your freezer for busy weeknights (or weekends). Just pull out, do a quick thaw, and BOOM...dinner is ready!

Serve this butter and garlic shrimp over pasta, or rice or add to a salad. You could also serve alongside a baked potato or a big pile of veggies.

Just because this shrimp is fast and easy, doesn't mean it's not elegant! Don't save for just busy nights. This shrimp is perfect served for guests, celebrations or romantic dinners for two!

No one needs to know how easy it is! They'll just rave at how delicious it is!

Looking for more shrimp recipes? Try sheet pan shrimp or shrimp scampi with white wine!

Key ingredients

Raw shrimp in a bowl next to other ingredients.
  • Shrimp - Raw, jumbo or extra large-sized shrimp. Mine were 26/30 size (which is the number in one pound of shrimp.) Make certain they are cleaned with shell removed. Tails can be on or off.
  • Butter - I use salted butter
  • Garlic - Finely minced
  • Lemon - Use a fresh, whole lemon
  • Red Pepper Flakes - Just a small little pinch is used, but if you don't like the touch of heat, just omit.
  • Parsley - Fresh and chopped. The parsley serves as a garnish, but also adds a bit of freshness and brightness to the shrimp. You don't want to skip adding fresh parsley!

Step by step directions

  • Thaw your shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Patting shrimp with a paper towel.
Salt and pepper on raw shrimp.
  • Melt butter in a large pan over medium to medium-high heat
  • Add shrimp and let cook for 3-4 minutes until you see some pink forming
  • Flip shrimp. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and give the pan a swirl.
Shrimp in a frying pan.
Shrimp cooking in a pan.
  • Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Once shrimp is pink, it is done.
  • Turn off heat and squeeze half a lemon over the top of shrimp
  • Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with all the butter from the pan poured over the top of the shrimp
Cooked shrimp with fresh chopped parsley in a pan.

Recipe tips

  • Make certain your shrimp is fully thawed
  • Shrimp cooks quickly. Have everything ready to serve for dinner.
  • Make certain you don't overcrowd your pan with shrimp. You want just a single layer with a bit of space between. If doubling this recipe, consider using two pans.
  • I add the garlic and the red pepper flakes when I flip the shrimp. This helps make certain the garlic doesn't burn, but you still get all that great flavor.
  • Swirl your pan around once you add the garlic to help distribute
  • Don't overcook shrimp. Once it turns color, it's done!
  • Serve with additional lemon wedges

Frequently asked questions

What do the numbers mean on a bag of shrimp?

The numbers represent the range of shrimp per pound. 26/30 means you'll get between 26 and 30 shrimp in one pound of shrimp. The smaller the numbers, the larger the shrimp.

Can I use unpeeled shrimp in this recipe?

Yes, just make certain the shrimp has been cleaned and deveined.

How to thaw shrimp

If your shrimp is frozen, you'll want to fully thaw it before cooking.

  • Place shrimp in refrigerator and allow shrimp to thaw overnight
  • If you need the shrimp quickly, remove shrimp from packaging and place in a colander. Spray cold water over shrimp for a few minutes until shrimp is thawed.
  • You can also place shrimp in a bowlful of cold water until shrimp is thawed.
  • Make certain you use cold water, warm or hot water will begin to cook the shrimp and change the texture.
Spraying shrimp with water.

Serving suggestions

This shrimp can be eaten in so many different ways. Pick your favorite!

  • Serve over angel hair pasta. I like to spoon the extra butter from the shrimp right over the pasta!
  • Serve over a bed of rice
  • Add to a salad
  • Serve as an appetizer
  • Eat the shrimp by itself along with the garlic butter

More easy dinner recipes

  • Almond crusted baked fish
  • Blackened shrimp
  • Trout almondine
  • Cast iron chicken thighs
  • Chicken sheet pan dinner
  • Honey lime grilled shrimp
Shrimp and pasta in a bowl.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my delicious main dish recipes!

  • Creamy Tuscan Chicken with spinach and tomatoes on a white plate.
    Creamy Tuscan Chicken
  • Easy baked spaghetti casserole in a white baking dish.
    Baked Spaghetti
  • A steak quesadilla cut into wedges and stacked on a wooden board.
    Steak Quesadilla
  • Sheet Pan Shrimp with butter, garlic, parsley and lemon.
    Sheet Pan Shrimp
Shrimp on top of pasta in a bowl.

Pan Fried Shrimp

Kathy Berget
Quick and easy shrimp perfect for adding to pasta, rice or a salad.
5 from 29 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 136 kcal

Equipment

  • Saute Pan
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound shrimp (extra large 26/30) (peeled and deveined )
  • pinch salt
  • pinch pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley (chopped)

Instructions
 

  • Thaw your shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel
    1 pound shrimp (extra large 26/30)
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper
    pinch salt, pinch pepper
  • Melt butter in a large pan over medium to medium high heat
    2 tablespoons butter
  • Add shrimp and let cook for 3-4 minutes until you see some pink forming
  • Flip shrimp. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.
    1 clove garlic, pinch red pepper flakes
  • Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Once shrimp is pink, it is done.
  • Turn off heat and squeeze half a lemon over the top of shrimp
    ½ lemon
  • Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve
    1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley

Notes

  • A pinch is about 1/16 of a teaspoon
  • Make certain your shrimp is fully thawed
  • Shrimp cooks quickly. Have everything ready to serve for dinner.
  • Make certain you don't overcrowd your pan with shrimp. You want just a single layer with a bit of space between. If doubling this recipe, consider using two pans.
  • I add the garlic and the red pepper flakes when I flip the shrimp. This helps make certain the garlic doesn't burn, but you still get all that great flavor.
  • Swirl your pan around once you add the garlic to help distribute
  • Don't overcook shrimp. Once it turns color, it's done!
  • Serve with additional lemon wedges
 
If your shrimp is frozen, you'll want to fully thaw it before cooking.
  • Place shrimp in refrigerator and allow shrimp to thaw overnight
  • If you need the shrimp quickly, remove shrimp from packaging and place in a colander. Spray cold water over shrimp for a few minutes until shrimp is thawed.
  • You can also place shrimp in a bowlful of cold water until shrimp is thawed.
  • Make certain you use cold water, warm or hot water will begin to cook the shrimp and change the texture.

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 7shrimpCalories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 16gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 688mgPotassium: 157mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 466IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says

    July 13, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    5 stars
    You can't ever go wrong with lemon, garlic and shrimp! This pan-fried version sounds fantastic. Talk about an easy weeknight meal!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm

      Super easy and super delicious!

      Reply
5 from 29 votes (28 ratings without comment)

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