Between afterschool activities, sports, pets, and household chores, weeknights can become a blur. That’s when quick and easy high-protein dinners come in handy! Shrimp is a healthy and fast-cooking protein choice when life gest busy. Another bonus is that shrimp preparation requires little advanced planning. A frozen 1 lb. bag of shrimp can thaw quickly under cool running water. In this blog post, I’ll share with you a mouthwatering recipe for Garlic Butter Shrimp – a dish that’s not only easy and fast to prepare but also bursting with flavor and elegance.
One of my dietary goals for investing in my health is to increase my protein intake. Eating sufficient protein becomes so important as we age. This simple shrimp recipe checks all the boxes: low calorie, high protein, versatile, and quick to prepare!
First start by heating butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. While the butter is melting I mince the garlic and prepare the shrimp. I like to rinse the shrimp in a colander under cold water. I prefer to buy the peeled and deveined shrimp to make the preparation even easier, but any kinds of fresh shrimp will work.
Once the pan is hot and butter is melted, add the shrimp sauté until cooked through. Raw shrimp cooks in about 5 minutes, depending on the size of shrimp. After the shrimp is cooked, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
After the shrimp and garlic are cooked through, I added a little crushed red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Feel free to leave out the crushed red pepper flakes if you don’t like spice. For a complete meal, serve over rice or pasta with a side of steamed broccoli.
Steaming broccoli in the microwave is one of the easiest ways to create a healthy side dish. Simply chop up your broccoli florets and place in a microwave safe bowl. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of water to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate or pan to create steam inside the bowl. Then microwave on high for about 5-7 minutes, depending on your microwave and how you like your broccoli cooked.
I like to drain the water from the bowl before serving. I also add a tablespoon of butter and some salt and pepper to taste. The broccoli comes out perfect every time, and the cooling process is completely hands off! You can add this quick side dish to any weeknight meal.
What are your favorite easy weeknight meals? Comment below!
Easy Weeknight Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb Peeled and Deveined Shrimp
- 4 Tbsp Butter
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and Pepper as needed
Instructions
- Heat butter in sauté pan on medium heat until melted
- Add shrimp. If uncooked, cook about 5 minutes, flipping each side, until cooked through. If shrimp is already cooked, heat through.
- Added minced garlic to pan and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Serve with noodles or rice, and enjoy!