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Lemon garlic marinated shrimp served with parsley and lemon wedges
TasteWiser

Lemon Garlic Marinated Shrimp

A simple lemon garlic marinade for raw shrimp, followed by a skillet method with clear doneness cues.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinating 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Calories: 195
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp and marinade
  • 1 lb raw large shrimp peeled and deveined; 21–25 count per pound, fully thawed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated, yellow part only
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • lemon wedges and chopped parsley optional garnish

Method
 

  1. Thaw the raw shrimp safely, peel and devein if needed, and pat dry with disposable paper towels. Keep chilled while you measure the other ingredients.
    Raw peeled shrimp dried on paper towels before marinating
  2. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, paprika, oregano, fine salt and black pepper in a glass or other nonreactive bowl.
    Whisking lemon garlic shrimp marinade in a glass bowl
  3. Add the raw shrimp and toss gently until coated. Do not taste marinade after it touches raw shrimp.
    Coating raw shrimp in lemon garlic marinade
  4. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. For this lemon-juice mixture, keep marinating to 15–30 minutes for texture; do not leave the shrimp in it overnight.
    Covered raw marinated shrimp chilling in the refrigerator
  5. Heat a large nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Lift shrimp from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Cook in a single layer, in batches if needed, about 2–3 minutes per side until cooked through. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer where practical: the seafood target is 145°F (63°C), and shrimp flesh should be firm, pearly and opaque. Discard the used marinade.
    Cooking lemon garlic shrimp in a skillet
  6. Move cooked shrimp to a clean plate with clean utensils. Add optional parsley and lemon wedges and serve promptly.
    Transferring cooked shrimp to a clean serving plate

Notes

Use raw peeled shrimp, fully thawed. Marinate in the refrigerator, not on the counter. The 15–30 minute window is for texture with this lemon-juice recipe, not a general food-safety limit. Cooking time varies with size, pan and batch count; check doneness rather than relying on the clock.
Nutrition is a rounded estimate for four servings including the entire marinade and excluding garnish. Some marinade is discarded, so actual retained oil and seasoning vary. Shrimp brands and brining change sodium.
Soy variation: replace the fine salt with 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce for the whole batch. This changes flavor, allergens and nutrition.
Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly in a covered container at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use within 3–4 days. Discard raw-shrimp marinade; never use it as an uncooked serving sauce.