These Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Garlic Butter Sauce are ready in under 20 minutes. Inspired by traditional shrimp scampi, we gave it a twist by using lime instead of lemon and coriander instead of parsley. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, with rice or pasta, or in tortillas, these Cilantro Lime Shrimp are guaranteed to become one of your favorite shrimp recipes!
Related: We love the bold flavors of these Cajun Shrimp with Garlic Butter Sauce
One of my favorite shrimp recipes
Of all the shrimp recipes we’ve shared, this cilantro lime version might be my favorite. I love traditional shrimp scampi with lemon and parsley, so it was inevitable that these buttered shrimp would be at the top of my list of favorites.
This recipe is quick and easy so you can easily make it tonight. From start to finish, it takes less than 20 minutesand the recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients.
What you will need
As I mentioned earlier, the ingredient list for this Cilantro Lime Shrimp isn’t long. For the basic recipe you will need shrimp, butter, garlic, lime, cilantro, salt and pepper. I also added two optional ingredients that I think really bring out the flavor of the dish: ground coriander and fresh spring onions.
How to make shrimp with garlic butter
When we’re in the mood for garlic shrimp, we’ll go all out. That means we don’t have to hold back when it comes to how much garlic we use. For a pound of shrimp We use six cloves of garlic (sometimes more).
For the lime we use the juice and zest of a whole lime. Do you cook with citrus zest? We do it all the time. In fact, we often add the zest (or zest) of citrus fruits when using the juice. There is a lot of flavor in the peel of citrus fruits. To remove the shell we use our Microplane – it’s quick and easy, plus the tool is not expensive.
We also use a lot of coriander! We know not everyone loves cilantro, and if you are, don’t worry. You can substitute any tender fresh herb for the cilantro.
For the best shrimp, we use butter in two ways: First, we cook the shrimp in a tablespoon of butter along with the garlic. When the shrimp are done cooking, we remove the pan from the heat and stir in more butter. Because the pan isn’t too hot, the butter will melt into a creamy sauce. It’s incredible.
serving suggestions
These garlic butter shrimp are perfect served for the whole family. The shrimp are a bit messy, but in this case, that’s a good thing. Serve these plain, with noodles (hello garlic shrimp noodles), alongside rice, or wrapped in tortillas.
Possible variations and substitutions
Our recipe is flexible. In our photos we use garlic, coriander and lime for the sauce. That doesn’t mean you have to.
You can always adopt our method and swap out the flavors a bit. Swap lime for lemon and cilantro for parsley. This lemon and parsley version is similar to the more traditional lemon and garlic shrimp. Or try fresh basil, dill and tarragon – they are all excellent options.
More easy shrimp recipes
- Thanks to a secret ingredient, these Easy Chile Butter Shrimp Tacos are seriously delicious with a simple coleslaw and mashed avocado.
- Fresh and simple, this shrimp ceviche features lime juice, red onions, cucumber, cilantro, and avocado.
- Soba noodles, pesto, and roasted shrimp make the most delicious and easy dinner. Make it tonight or save it for a special occasion.
- These 15 minute shrimp noodles are perfect for busy evenings. Thanks to a fresh tomato and basil sauce, this easy pasta is one of our favorites!
- Okay, these scallops aren’t shrimp, but they cook just as quickly! Check out our Seared Scallops with Garlic Basil Butter.
Cilantro Lime Garlic Butter Shrimp
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PREPARATION
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COOK
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IN TOTAL
Garlic shrimp cooked in a creamy cilantro lime butter sauce. Serve as an appetizer, with pasta, over rice, or in tortillas for tacos. The recipe is easy to adapt. Swap lime for lemon and try other tender herbs like parsley, dill, basil or tarragon instead of cilantro.
Makes 1 pound shrimp (16 to 20 shrimp depending on size)
you will need
1 pound extra large shrimp, peeled, tails retained and deveined
1 lime plus a few extra wedges for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 6 cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, optional
2 spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves and tender stems, chopped
directions
- cook shrimp
1Pat the shrimp dry, then season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2Grate the lime with a microslicer and set aside. Cut the grated lime in half to prepare for the sauce later in the recipe.
3Put a tablespoon of butter in a wide pan. Save the remaining 2 tablespoons for later.
4Place the buttered pan over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and cilantro. Stir the garlic in the pan until the butter melts and bubbles. about 1 minute.
5Add the shrimp and place them in the pan so that they form a layer. A few stacked shrimp is fine. Cook until the shrimp start to turn pink, about 1 minute.
6Stir in the spring onions and lime zest. Continue cooking, stirring, until shrimp are consistently firm and opaque; another 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the pan off the stove.
- Make butter sauce
1When the pan is off the heat, add the cilantro, lime juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir the butter in the pan so it melts with the lime juice to create a creamy buttery sauce.
2Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with additional lime wedges as a side.
Adam and Joanne’s tips
- To make Shrimp with Lemon Garlic Butter: Swap the lime for lemon and the cilantro for parsley, then follow the recipe above. Finally, for even more flavor, add a dash of dry white wine and the lemon juice.
- To Prepare Spicy Garlic Shrimp: Add 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the pan at the same time as the garlic.
- While the sauce won’t be as creamy, you can substitute olive oil for the butter. You will need 1 tablespoon to cook the shrimp and just a light splash to finish (about 1/2 tablespoon).
- Nutritional Information: The nutritional information below is an estimate. We used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
Nutritional value per serving
serving size
1/4 pound
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calories
193
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protein
23.6g
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carbohydrate
5.2g
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fiber
1.2g
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total sugar
1.4g
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total fat
9.4g
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Saturated Fatty Acids
5.5g
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cholesterol
205.4 mg
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sodium
284.9 mg