My Favorite 10-Minute Shrimp Dinner Has the Most Delicious Butter Sauce

I am a sucker for shrimp. I grew up with an uncle who mastered the art of cooking seafood. He made his way from Nayarit, Mexico, to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he is now the chef and owner of Mariscos El Ancla, a Mexican seafood restaurant. Whenever he came to visit, it was almost guaranteed that shrimp would be on the menu. Inspired by my uncle, this recipe for spicy lemon garlic shrimp is the easiest, most flavorful shrimp you’ll ever have.

Here, the vibrant sauce comes together quickly with garlic and lemon juice. While this is a little different from the camarones a la diabla (deviled shrimp) that I grew up with, the addition of the lemon takes this simple-yet-satisfying dish to the next level. Now let’s talk about the heat: I can’t lie and tell you these aren’t particularly spicy, but I will say that the sauce is balanced, thanks to the butter, garlic, smoked paprika, and lemon. Pair it with some steamed rice or just enjoy them on their own garnished with cilantro and an added squeeze of lemon. This easy shrimp dinner is bound to be a crowd-pleaser — even my kids love it.

Why You’ll Love It

• Cooks in just 10 minutes! It comes together so quickly, which makes for a quick weeknight meal or the perfect last-minute appetizer.

• The sauce is spicy yet perfectly balanced. The butter and lemon juice cut through the heat. But if you want all the flavor with little heat, you can always reduce the amount of red pepper flakes to taste.

Key Ingredients in Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

• Smoked paprika: Adds depth with its smoky, peppery flavor.

• Garlic: Makes up the base of the sauce, glazing the shrimp perfectly with its rich and savory flavor.

• Red pepper flakes: Adds all the spice while working along with the lemon to highlight its fruity, smoky, almost citrus-like flavor.

How to Make Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

1. Prep your shrimp. Pat raw large shrimp dry with paper towels.

2. Cook the shrimp. Melt unsalted butter in a large 12-inch frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook minced garlic first until fragrant. Add shrimp, lemon zest and juice, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine, arranging the shrimp in an even layer.

3. Serve! Increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are firm and just cooked through. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lemon wedges if desired.

Helpful Swaps

• For more heat, swap smoked paprika with cayenne pepper for a spicy, fiery kick.

• To take the heat down, you can always add half the amount of red pepper flakes.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp Recipe

You only need 10 minutes to make the easiest, most flavorful shrimp of your life.

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 8 minutes to 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds raw large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled and deveined

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 10 cloves)

• Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon (1 tablespoon)

• Juice of 1 medium lemon (3 tablespoons)

• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

• Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat 1 1/2 pounds raw large shrimp dry with paper towels.

2. Melt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large 12-inch frying pan over medium-low heat. Add 3 tablespoons minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp, the finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon, the juice of 1 medium lemon, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine and arrange the shrimp into an even layer.

4. Increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are firm and just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and lemon wedges if desired.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient variation: For very spicy shrimp, substitute cayenne pepper for the smoked paprika.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat over medium heat until just warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes.

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