Description
A lightning-fast, restaurant-quality dinner made with just shrimp, butter, and Cajun seasoning. This crispy garlic butter shrimp is ready in 12 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs large shrimp (16–20 count), peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Thaw frozen shrimp under cold water if necessary, then pat them completely dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then toss with Cajun seasoning until evenly coated.
- Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and let it melt and foam without browning.
- Add shrimp in a single layer (cook in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes until opaque on the bottom, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until pink and crispy.
- Push shrimp to the sides of the pan and add minced garlic to the center. Sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant, then toss everything together.
- Pour in heavy cream (if using) and stir gently to combine with butter and garlic. Simmer for 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat immediately. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Ensure shrimp are completely dry before cooking to achieve crispiness. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the shrimp will steam instead of fry. Add garlic in the last minute to prevent burning. Shrimp are done when they form a ‘C’ shape; an ‘O’ shape indicates overcooking.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the batch
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
Keywords: Cajun shrimp, garlic butter shrimp, quick dinner, easy seafood, weeknight meals, crispy shrimp, 3 ingredient recipe