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Cooked in a simple buttery white wine sauce, these perfect Sauteed Shrimp are packed full of flavour and are super quick and easy to make! They make a great appetizer, snack, side dish or flavourful addition to any meal!

I can see how shrimp can just be one of those things that might look a litttttle intimidating to cook for the first time. I mean, for one, there are just SO MANY different kinds of shrimp to choose from and that alone can be overwhelming to even the best of chefs, am I right?! Shell on. Shell off. Easy Peel. Big shrimp. Small shrimp. Jumbo shrimp. Black tiger shrimp. Shrimp with the heads still on. Shrimp with the tails still on. Which one do you chooooose?! I’m happy to report that Sauteed Shrimp is so quick, versatile and easy, you can pretty much use any kind of shrimp out there with this basic recipe and always achieve delicious results.

cast iron skillet with sauteed shrimp garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges, bread and plates in the background

Sauteed Shrimp is so tasty on its own (don’t forget the bread for dipping!) or in all your favourite shrimp recipes. It goes great in tacos, on salads, in sandwiches or wraps or in stir frys, just to name a few. It makes the perfect appetizer to any meal and one that everyone always loves. Sure, it’s great for serving up at parties or on holidays but this Sauteed Shrimp recipe is so simple and delicious, you won’t mind having it again and again on any night of the week!

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE SAUTEED SHRIMP

ingredients for sauteed shrimp - shrimp, butter, olive oil, white wine, salt/pepper, garlic, lemon, parsley — *Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.*

Since you only need a few simple ingredients for this Sauteed Shrimp recipe, using fresh and good quality ones are super important for best results and maximum flavour. Let’s discuss them in a little bit more detail down below:

Shrimp: As previously stated, there are so many different options to choose from when it comes to shrimp. For this particular recipe, you can totally choose to use shell on or off, depending on your preference/what you’re using the shrimp for. If I’m serving this sauteed shrimp as an appetizer or as is, I like using an easy peel shell on shrimp. If I’m planning on using this sauteed shrimp in a dish such as tacos or on top of salads, peeled shrimp is the best option. Either way, deveined and medium to large shrimp works best in this recipe.
Garlic: For flavour and extra deliciousness. Fresh minced garlic is best in this recipe.
Butter: Adds flavour, richness and silkiness to the sauce.
Olive Oil: Adds flavour and smoothness to the sauce. Good quality Extra Virgin works best in this recipe.
White Wine: Adds acidity and delicious flavour to the sauce. A little goes a long way and most of the alcohol content will cook off as the shrimp sautée. Dry white cooking white works best in this recipe. I like using something like a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
Lemon: Adds freshness, tang, zing and acidity to the dish. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best in this recipe. PRO TIP: If serving this sauteed shrimp as is, serve it with a few extra wedges of lemon to be squeezed on right before serving.
Parsley: Adds a herby freshness and vibrant pop of colour to the dish. Fresh is best in this recipe.
Salt/Pepper: Adds seasoning to the dish and makes the rest of the flavours pop. Feel free to use a different combination of spices, if you prefer.

hand squeezing a lemon wedge over a skillet of cooked shell on shrimp garnished with fresh parsley, more lemon and a spoon in the skillet

HOW TO MAKE SAUTEED SHRIMP (KEY TIPS)

hand holding a sauteed shrimp with fresh parsley over a skillet with the rest, lemon wedge in the skillet

Use fresh, good quality ingredients for maximum flavour.
Use shell on shrimp if you’re just planning on serving this Sauteed Shrimp as is as an appetizer or part of a bigger meal. However, if you’re planning to use this Sauteed Shrimp in a recipe that calls for shrimp such as a stir fry or noodle dish, use shrimp that has already been peeled for best results. Either way, medium to large deveined shrimp will give you the best results.
Don’t overcrowd the skillet during cooking and work in batches if you have to. Allow enough space for the shrimp to perfectly cook on each side.
Sautéeing Shrimp is a fairly quick process and is not just a dish you can walk away from to go focus your attention elsewhere. Sorry, sista! While I’m also a fan of multi-tasking, folding the laundry can wait until you finish cooking the shrimp. Keep an eye on it because overcooking shrimp is easy and will ruin the dish. The whole process should take about 4-6 minutes, depending on how big your shrimp are. EXTRA TIP: The shrimp will start to curl if they’re overcooked. Overcooked shrimp will taste tough and rubbery.
Flip the shrimp halfway through cooking to ensure they get cooked evenly and all the way through.
The shrimp will turn bright pink and opaque when they’re ready. EXTRA TIP: Look for pink in the tails in order to know when it’s time to flip the shrimp.
If serving this sauteed shrimp as is, don’t forget the bread for dipping! Soaking up that delicious garlicky white wine sauce is one of the best parts of this dish! Try my recipe for easy Bakery Style No Knead Bread!

hand holding the handle of a cast iron skillet with sauteed shrimp garnished with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO YOU NEED TO THAW SHRIMP BEFORE SAUTÉING?

For best results, I would recommend thawing the shrimp before sautéeing to avoid adding any excess or unwanted moisture to the dish. If you forgot to thaw your shrimp, simply let the shrimp sit in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes and you should be good to go. Just don’t forget to pat them dry with a clean cloth or paper towel before using.

HOW SHOULD I STORE LEFTOVER SHRIMP?

Although Sauteed Shrimp is best enjoyed fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Be sure to consume them within 2 days for maximum freshness. To reheat, simply add the shrimp to a skillet on low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SAUTEED SHRIMP?

Sauteed shrimp is great all on its own or with delicious sliced bread as a flavourful appetizer or snack. Make it a meal by serving it up next to some roasted broccoli or cauliflower, over some cauliflower ‘rice‘ or regular rice or next to some air fryer spaghetti squash. They’re also great tossed in some fajitas seasoning to make killer fajitas or tacos, wraps or sandwiches, in salads, on pasta or in stir fry or noodle dishes, to name a few.

cooked shell on shrimp in a cast iron pan garnished with fresh chopped parsley and 3 lemon wedges, spoon with a hand in the skillet, bread, plates and more spoons in the background

EASY SAUTEED SHRIMP

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Cooked in a simple buttery white wine sauce, these perfect Sauteed Shrimp are packed full of flavour and are super quick and easy to make!

Ingredients

1 pound medium to large Raw Shrimp, deveined*
1/4 cup Dry White Wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, plus an additional splash
1/4 cup Butter, divided
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Fresh Chopped Parsley
1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Sliced Bread, for serving

Instructions

Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat.
In a large nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and half the butter. Swirl around until completely melted.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, a minute or two, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Add the white wine and cook until reduced slightly, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until the tails start turning pink, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking an additional 2-3 minutes or until completely pink and cooked through, careful not to overcook and working in batches if you have to. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the pan with an additional splash of wine. Swirl it around with a spatula being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
When the butter is completely melted, add the shrimp back to the pan and toss to coat. Squeeze half a lemon over top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with remaining half lemon cut into wedges and fresh bread for dipping.

Notes

Use shell on shrimp if you're just planning on serving this Sauteed Shrimp as is as an appetizer or part of a bigger meal. However, if you're planning to use this Sauteed Shrimp in a recipe that calls for shrimp such as a stir fry or noodle dish, use shrimp that has already been peeled for best results. Either way, medium to large deveined shrimp will give you the best results.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 244Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.