Brown Butter Shrimp

Our Brown Butter Shrimp tastes like something straight out of a restaurant, but it's unbelievably simple to make at home! Ready in under 15 minutes, this recipe gives you golden, buttery shrimp glazed in a luscious brown butter garlic sauce, no marinating, no fuss, just flavor-packed results.

This brown butter shrimp recipe is a reader favorite for a reason. It's a twist on our beloved Brown Butter Honey Garlic Salmon made with the same caramelized butter, sweet honey, fresh lemon, and garlic that turn every shrimp bite into pure magic. If you loved that salmon, wait until you try this honey garlic butter shrimp version, it's rich, savory, and irresistibly sticky in all the right ways.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

What makes this Brown Butter Shrimp so irresistible is how quickly it comes together with everyday ingredients. Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty richness that perfectly balances the sweetness of honey and the sharp bite of garlic. The result is a silky brown butter garlic sauce that clings to each shrimp, giving you layers of flavor in every bite.

This brown butter shrimp recipe also wins for convenience, no marinating, no complicated steps, and it's ready in minutes. The combination of honey, garlic, and lemon brightens up the butter's richness, creating that good sweet-and-savory glaze you'll want to drizzle over rice, pasta, or crusty bread. Think of it as honey garlic butter shrimp, leveled up with the magic of brown butter.

What Goes Into Brown Butter Shrimp

Each ingredient plays a part in creating that good balance of nutty, garlicky, and sweet flavors that make this dish so addictive.

• Unsalted Butter: The star of the show. When browned, it turns rich and nutty, creating the base for the irresistible brown butter garlic sauce.
• Honey: Adds natural sweetness that caramelizes beautifully with the butter and garlic for that signature honey garlic butter shrimp glaze.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic infuses the butter with good flavor, turning simple shrimp into a restaurant-worthy meal.
• Lemon Juice: A splash of acidity cuts through the richness, brightening up the entire brown butter shrimp recipe with a touch of freshness.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

On the stove

1. Brown the Butter: Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat, swirling and stirring for about 3 minutes until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma.

1. Add the Flavors: Stir in honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, and garlic, letting them cook together for 30 seconds until fragrant and well combined.

1. Reserve the Sauce: Remove from heat and pour out just over half of the browned butter mixture into a bowl, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan for cooking.

1. Cook the First Batch: Add half of the shrimp to the pan and sear for about 2 minutes per side, or until pink and no longer opaque. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

1. Wipe and Refresh: Wipe clean, then add 2 more tablespoons of the mixture. Add a teaspoon of oil if sauce has thickened too much.

1. Cook the Rest: Sear the remaining shrimp for 2 minutes per side, or until just cooked through and juicy.

1. Coat and Finish: Return all shrimp to the pan and pour in the reserved sauce, stirring to coat evenly as it thickens slightly over low heat.

1. Serve and Enjoy: Sprinkle with fresh parsley, add a squeeze of lemon, and serve hot over rice, with steamed veggies, or alongside a crisp salad.

This Brown Butter Shrimp is full of rich, nutty flavor, the kind that deserves sides just as crave-worthy. Try serving it over Fried Rice with Bacon for a quick weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet comforting. The smoky crunch of bacon and fluffy rice soak up every drop of that buttery garlic sauce perfectly. For a cozier option, it also pairs beautifully with Beef and Pumpkin Shepherd's Piewhere the creamy mash and savory filling balance the shrimp's sweet glaze.

If you're in the mood for something lighter, serve your shrimp alongside Crispy Parmesan Asparagus with Garlic Butter. The crisp-tender spears and parmesan crunch add the good contrast to the tender shrimp. However you plate it, over rice, with veggies, or a slice of warm garlic bread, this dish transforms any meal into something special in just minutes.

Kitchen tip

• Keep an eye on the butter as it browns. It goes from golden to burnt fast, so swirl the pan often and watch for that nutty aroma to know it's ready.
• Use fresh garlic if you can. It gives a richer flavor that balances perfectly with the honey and butter.
• Don't overcrowd the pan. Cooking the shrimp in batches keeps them from steaming and helps them sear beautifully.
• If the sauce thickens too much while you cook, just add a splash of water or a teaspoon of olive oil to loosen it up.

Recipe FAQ's

Yes, absolutely. Just make sure to thaw and pat them dry before cooking so they sear nicely instead of steaming.

Medium to large raw shrimp work perfectly for this recipe. Avoid pre-cooked shrimp since they can turn rubbery when reheated.

Once it turns golden with little brown specks and smells nutty, it's ready. Pull it off the heat right away to prevent burning.

WATCH US MAKE SHRIMP HERE!

What you need

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed, or juice of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 21 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined, tail on or off
• 1 pinch salt to season
• 3 lemon wedges to serve
• 1 pinch fresh parsley chopped, to serve

Method

1. Heat butter in a non stick pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Melt, swirling pan and stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until the foam settles; the butter begins to change in colour to golden brown and has a nutty fragrance.
2. Add the honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and garlic; stir well to combine all of the flavours together and cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.
3. Pour out just over half of the browned butter from the pan (liquid only), leaving 2 tablespoons of the honey butter mixture in the pan, and reserve the rest for later.
4. Add half of the shrimp to the honey/butter in the pan; sear for about 2 minutes each side, or until just cooked through and no longer opaque. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
5. Wipe pan over with paper towel and add 2 more tablespoons of the honey/butter mixture to the pan. (You may need to add 1 teaspoon of olive oil or extra butter to the pan if your sauce has thickened too much.) Sear the remaining shrimp for 2 minutes each side, or until just cooked through and no longer opaque.
6. Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan, and pour in the remaining honey/butter sauce; stirring through the shrimp to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper if desired and garnish with parsley.
7. Serve with steamed vegetables; over rice or with a salad