Garlic Butter Key West Pink Shrimp Skillet
If you need a seafood dinner on the table in 15 minutes, this is the one to bookmark. Key West pink shrimp are naturally sweet, tender, and quick-cooking, which makes them one of the easiest ways to bring real Gulf-to-table flavor into a weeknight routine. This recipe is built around a single skillet, a few pantry staples, and a garlic butter sauce you'll want to make again.
Why Key West Pink Shrimp
These shrimp are wild-caught out of the Florida Gulf and have a natural sweetness and firm bite that farmed shrimp often can't match. We sell them by count size — the smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp — so ask our team which size works best for what you're making. For this skillet, we like 16–20 count: big enough to feel substantial, small enough to cook fast and evenly.
Ingredients
1½ lbs. Key West pink shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 tbsp unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup dry white wine or chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
Prep the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Dry shrimp sear better than wet shrimp, so don't skip this step.
Get the pan hot. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Sear in batches. Add the shrimp in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan. Cook 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery fast, so pull them the moment they curl into a "C" shape. Transfer to a plate.
Build the garlic butter. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and the butter, and stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant — garlic burns quickly, so keep it moving.
Deglaze. Pour in the wine or stock and simmer for 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly.
Bring it together. Return the shrimp to the pan along with the lemon juice, tossing to coat everything in the sauce. Cook just 1 more minute to warm through.
Finish and serve. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley, and serve straight from the skillet with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this over rice or our sticky rice fries for something heartier, or toss it with pasta for a version of shrimp scampi. It also holds up well spooned over a simple green salad for a lighter meal.