Lemon Garlic Butter Prawns (Printable)

Succulent prawns in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce brightened with fresh parsley.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large raw prawns, peeled and deveined (tails on optional)

→ Aromatics

02 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
03 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped

→ Sauce

04 - ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
05 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
07 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat prawns dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
02 - Warm olive oil and half the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Add finely chopped shallot and sauté for 1 minute until translucent.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
05 - Arrange prawns in a single layer; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pink on one side, then flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
06 - Incorporate lemon zest, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using), stirring to combine.
07 - Add remaining butter and swirl the skillet until butter melts and sauce becomes glossy.
08 - Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley, serve immediately with lemon wedges and spoon sauce over prawns.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes, so you can make it on a weeknight without stress.
  • The glossy lemon garlic butter sauce is so good you'll want to soak bread in it.
  • It looks fancy enough for guests but tastes like comfort food you made yourself.
02 -
  • Overcooking prawns by even 30 seconds turns them rubbery, so watch them closely and pull them when they're still slightly translucent in the very center.
  • Don't skip drying the prawns; wet prawns won't brown and the sauce will taste watered down.
  • Room-temperature or cool butter swirled off the heat creates a better sauce than adding hot butter to a hot pan, which breaks it.
03 -
  • Buy prawns the day you plan to cook them if possible, or thaw them in the fridge the night before rather than in warm water.
  • Zest your lemon before cutting it in half; it's easier and you get more of the fragrant oils in there.
  • Keep a small bowl of extra lemon juice nearby because you might want to add a bit more brightness once you taste it.

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