Description
This Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp recipe is a quick and flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dish featuring succulent shrimp marinated in a zesty lemon-garlic blend with a kick of red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Cooked on the stovetop to perfection, it’s perfect for a fast weeknight dinner or an impressive meal served over rice, pasta, or salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp Marinade
- 1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Marinate Shrimp: In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let the shrimp marinate for 10–15 minutes if time allows to absorb all the flavors.
- Heat Skillet: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, ensuring it is ready to sear the shrimp.
- Cook Shrimp: Add the marinated shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes on one side until pink and opaque, then flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes on the other side until fully cooked.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle the cooked shrimp with chopped fresh parsley for a bright finish. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for extra tang.
Notes
- Delicious served over rice, pasta, or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- For extra sauce, double the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in the marinade and spoon over shrimp when serving.
