Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

Today’s recipe is one of my favorite healthy shrimp recipes! It is an easy 20-minute entrée: Shrimp in Garlic Sauce. The fresh tangy lemon, pump briney shrimp and garlicky sauce are best served over piping hot pasta and topped generously with Parsley. It’s super simple and a perfect weeknight meal or special occasion entree for holidays or entertaining!

Key Ingredients For Garlic Shrimp

• Large Shrimp: You’ll need 2 lbs of frozen shrimp. Then you’ll want to defrost it, and remove the shells. I like to leave the tails on for restaurant style presention. To choose the best shrimp make sure you check here first. To save time, look for “E-Z Peel” or those that have the veins removed from the back of the shrimp. This makes cleaning so much faster!
• Extra-virgin olive oil: To sear the shrimp you can use olive oil or a high-heat neutral cooking oil such as grape seed oil, canola oil or avocado oil..
• Salt and Pepper: Make sure to skip added salt if your shimp are treated with STP or STTP. You can use kosher salt, but it is not as salty as regular salt, so you will need a little extra. Read more about swapping kosher salt for table salt here. To season you’ll also want fresh pepper. Red pepper flake or crushed red pepper is another option. Use a little pinch or to taste with the garlic to add some firy pep to the seared shrimp!
• 3 cloves garlic: This may seem like a lot of garlic (it is!) but it mellows considerably when it is cooked in the olive oil with the seared shrimp.
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice: The bright pop of freshly squeezed lemon juice is a great foil for the salty and sweet shrimp.
• ½ cup roughly chopped Italian Parsley: Fresh flat leaf parsley or Italian parsley is a great addition at the end of cooking to add freshness.

IMPORTANT: Check to see if your shrimp is labeled STP free (or STPP free.) This is a preservative that helps preserve moisture content in seafood. It also dramatically increases the sodium content. We have tested this recipe countless times and we have found that shrimp the is STP free will brown nicely and will not let off excess moisture as it cooks.

How To Make Garlic Sauce Shrimp

Step 1: Prepare and Dry Shrimp Before Cooking

Make sure the shrimp is completely dry. To brown the shrimp and keep them from releasing all their juice into the pan, you’ll want to make sure you heat up your pan before you add the shrimp. Use a large skillet so that the shrimp can cook in a single layer.

You can even add a shrimp to test if the oil is hot. If you do and it doesn’t really sizzle sizzle sizzle, then you should wait a minute before adding the rest of the shrimp.

Step 2: Pan Sear Shrimp

Add the shrimp to the hot pan. You also don’t want to overcrowd the pan. So make sure you use a 10-inch skillet, not an 8- or 9-inch.

TIP: If your pan isn’t quite large enough, do not overcrowd it, cook the shrimp in batches!

If you do those two things your shrimp will sauté, turn lightly golden, retain all their sweet shrimpy juicy goodness. Not only that, but the garlic will also taste better because it is fried and not boiled.

Step 3: Saute Garlic

Push the sauteed Shrimp to one side of the skillet and tilt the pan slightly so the oil pools on the other side. Add the minced fresh garlic to the oil and fry until it just turns brown (don’t cook it any longer, or else the garlic will burn and turn bitter).

Step 4: Add Lemon and Parsley

Then, mix the shrimp and garlic together until the shrimp is fully coated. Spread the shrimp out so it’s evenly covering the pan and squeeze the fresh lemon juice on top. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper, then remove the shrimp from the heat.

Serving Suggestions For Seared Shrimp with Garlic and Lemon

• You can enjoy this healthy shrimp recipe atop whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta.
• It would also taste divine alongside rice, cauliflower rice or microwaved spaghetti squash.
• Serve with a garden salad, classic caesar salad and whole wheat bread or our wheat rolls.
• For a green veggie, try this fresh green bean recipe or our roasted broccoli with almonds and asiago cheese.

Variations and Substitutions

• Other Allium: Instead of garlic, use finely minced onion or shallot. Or omit the garlic and add two to three finely sliced scallions with the parsley.
• Lemon Zest: add a little lemon zest with the parsley for an added lemony touch.
• Dried Herbs: Season the shrimp with dried herbs (like Italian seasoning, dry thyme or dry oregano) before searing.
• Make it Even More Saucy: Once you saute the shrimp in step 2, remove it to a plate. Whisk 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth or clam juice with 1/2 teaspoon corn starch. Cook the garlic as directed in step 3, then pour in the cornstarch slurry. Once it comes to a simmer, add in the cooked shrimp, any juices from the plate and the lemon juice as directed in step four.
• To make Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp, instead of Olive Oil, use 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter. Just make sure to add the shrimp before the butter starts to brown, or the butter will burn.
• Try adding 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon after the shrimp comes off the heat. The slightly anise flavor of tarragon pairs beautifully with seafood.
• Use white wine instead of lemon. This variation is slightly less tart than the lemon juice for those who do not love sour flavors.
• For an Asian-inspried variation, make the following substitutions: Use 1 tablespoon avocado oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil instead of sesame oil. Omit the lemon juice and use dry sherry instead. Season with soy sauce or fish sauce to taste. Garnish with Thai basil or cilantro instead of parsley.

FAQs

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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