sauteed garlic shrimp

Sautéed Garlic Shrimp

Fresh shrimp are sautéed quickly in olive oil or butter with chopped garlic, allowing the garlic to infuse the fat while the shrimp cook just until opaque and tender. The quick cooking preserves the shrimp’s natural sweetness and produces a lightly caramelized, aromatic exterior.

During sautéing, gentle tossing ensures even coating of the garlic and seasonings while preventing overcooking. Optional lemon juice, herbs, or chili flakes can be added to enhance brightness and flavor. The preparation emphasizes high heat, precise timing, and aromatic layering to produce tender, flavorful, and garlicky shrimp.

They can also be enjoyed as a Spanish tapas, served as a small appetizer or snack, tossed with fresh pasta, or served with crostini as part of Seven Fishes Tapas.

Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Seafood
Mediterranean
Garlic ∙ Seven Fishes ∙ Shrimp
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 shrimp, peeled & deveined, per serving
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • garlic, sliced
  • red pepper flakes
  • fresh parsley, chopped
  • fresh pasta, optional
  • crostini, optional

Instructions 

Setup

  • If tossing with pasta, put on a pot of water to boil.
  • Peel shrimp and remove tails.
  • Keep peels and tails in a bag in the freezer for shrimp stock

Cook

  • Heat oil in a skillet until it shimmers.
  • Toss in garlic and stir constantly until it turns golden.
  • Add shrimp to the pan and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
  • Drop fresh pasta into boiling water for 2 minutes.
  • Saute shrimp for 3 minutes, then turn over.
  • Drain and rinse pasta when it’s ready, but keep a ladle full of pasta water.
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and saute for 3 more minutes.
  • If adding to pasta, add a ladle full of pasta water to the skillet.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet and sprinkle with salt.