Garlic Butter Shrimp & Rice

Shrimp cook in minutes, which makes this one of the fastest dinners here. They’re seared, then tossed in garlic butter with lemon and parsley and served over rice.

A bag of frozen shrimp is the practical way to buy them. They thaw in 15 minutes in cold water, and a pound is enough for four over rice.

With rice already cooked, it takes 15 minutes.

Ingredients and Swaps

• Shrimp: Large, peeled and deveined. Bite-size pieces of chicken work too, with a longer cooking time.
• Butter and garlic: Five cloves of garlic make the sauce.
• Lemon juice and parsley: For brightness at the end.
• Paprika and red pepper flakes: Color and a little heat.
• Rice: Warm white rice. Microwave rice keeps it quick.

Tips for Tender Shrimp

• Pat them dry. Dry shrimp sear. Wet shrimp steam.
• Cook in a single layer. Work in two batches if the pan is small.
• Watch the clock. One to two minutes per side. They’re done when pink and curled into a C.
• Add the garlic after the shrimp. It cooks in the butter for under a minute so it doesn’t burn.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $9.25 from Walmart, $9.91 from ALDI · Per Serving – $2.31 to $2.48

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Garlic Butter Shrimp & Rice

Juicy shrimp seared in a garlicky lemon butter sauce and spooned over fluffy rice. A fast, lazy-night dinner that tastes restaurant-worthy.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 3 cups cooked white rice warm

Method

 

1. Pat the shrimp dry and toss with paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side, until pink. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
4. Stir in the lemon juice, return the shrimp to the pan, and toss in the garlic butter.
5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over warm rice, spooning the sauce over the top.

Notes

• Use microwave rice to make it even faster.
• Add a splash of chicken broth for more sauce.
• Swap shrimp for bite-size chicken pieces; cook until done.
• Serve over pasta or cauliflower rice.

What to Serve with It

Steamed broccoli, Lemon Parmesan Roasted Asparagus or a simple salad. For shrimp with pasta, see Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• Reheat gently in a skillet so the shrimp don’t overcook.
• Freezing isn’t recommended.

Garlic Butter Shrimp Questions

How do I thaw frozen shrimp quickly?

Put them in a bowl of cold water for 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

How do I get more sauce?

Add a splash of chicken broth with the lemon juice and simmer for a minute.