Craving your favorite restaurant-style shrimp? This succulent, no-fuss Garlic Shrimp Recipe hits the spot without you ever having to leave your house.
Shrimp is my favorite protein, hands down. If I’m not hungry at all and you walk by with a platter of boiled shrimp and cocktail sauce, I will flag you down and (politely) eat most of them. I can eat shrimp in all ways: boiled, deep-fried, butterflied, pan-fried, baked, grilled, or acid-cooked by way of ceviche.
The thing I like most about shrimp is that there’s no need to overthink cooking it. Shrimp honestly doesn’t need a ton of ingredients or a fancy recipe in order to be delicious. In fact, one of my favorite ways to cook it is the simplest method: a quick sauté in oil with some garlic and pepper.
This garlic shrimp recipe is about as simple as shrimp gets, but it’s also one of the most satisfying and delicious ways to prepare shrimp. The shrimp take on the garlic and pepper flavors during the sauté, and in only a few minutes, you have succulent, tender shrimp that are ready to pair with anything—over rice, on a sandwich, with a green salad—or just to eat by themselves.
Is This Garlic Shrimp Healthy?
This garlic shrimp recipe has very few ingredients, and they’re all fairly healthy. Shrimp is a great source of protein, vitamin B12, and many important minerals like phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and copper. Olive oil contains lots of healthy monounsaturated fats, and garlic has plenty of antioxidants. That said, there’s quite a bit of cholesterol in this recipe due to the shrimp. If you’ve been advised to limit cholesterol consumption, you may want to eat this dish in moderation. Overall, this recipe is free of gluten and dairy and is suitable for pescatarian diets.
How To Devein Shrimp
While it’s perfectly safe to eat, many people prefer their shrimp deveined. If the thought of having to remove the shrimp’s digestive tract makes you squirm, don’t fret; it’s a quick and painless process. Here’s a quick primer on how to do it.
- Rinse the shrimp under cold water.
- Create a slit along the back of the shrimp with a sharp paring knife. You will want to cut about 1/4-inch deep along the outer ridge of its back.
- Locate and discard the vein that runs just under the surface of the back.
- Rinse the shrimp one more time to remove any residue.
If you have a ton of shrimp to devein, consider buying a shrimp deveining tool. They are inexpensive, and there are plenty on the market. They make easy work of this chore, which can be time-consuming if you aren’t experienced.
If you have never deveined shrimp before, here’s a simple pro-tip: Make sure to buy the largest shrimp you can find. There will be fewer shrimp per pound, and that means there’ll be fewer shrimp to devein!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Once cooked, the shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and the sooner you eat the leftovers, the better. You can also freeze cooked shrimp in freezer-safe Ziploc bags (with as much air squeezed out as possible) for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to eat garlic shrimp is over a bowl of brown rice with some diced avocado, chopped green onions, sliced tomatoes, tamari or soy sauce, and wilted spinach. But you can also make a mean taco out of these shrimp! Consider using garlic shrimp for these Shrimp Tacos.
Garlic shrimp also taste great on top of a Chopped Salad, an Italian Salad, or even this orzo salad. If you enjoy pasta dishes, throw a few of these shrimp on top of your next batch of Spaghetti Aglio E Olio. You won’t regret it!
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1¼ pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet, sprinkle with salt and paprika, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
- Remove from heat, stir in the chopped parsley, and serve immediately, ensuring even distribution among plates.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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