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Easy Butter Cream Shrimp Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Easy Butter Cream Shrimp Recipe

I made this butter cream shrimp on a weeknight when I had almost nothing planned for dinner, and it turned into one of my most requested meals. It comes together in one skillet, and the sauce is rich, garlicky, and just a little bit indulgent without any fuss.
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Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp – large or jumbo shrimp hold up best in the sauce and stay juicy instead of turning rubbery
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter – butter is the backbone of this dish so use real butter rather than margarine for the best flavor
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced – fresh garlic gives a much deeper flavor than jarred garlic, so mince it yourself if you can
  • 1 cup heavy cream – heavy cream is what gives the sauce its silky body and lighter creams tend to separate when heated
  • 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese grated – grate the block yourself instead of using pre-shredded cheese, since pre-shredded versions have anti-caking agents that keep the sauce from turning smooth
  • 1 cup fresh spinach roughly chopped – fresh spinach wilts quickly and keeps its color, while frozen spinach releases too much water into the sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika – this adds warmth and a subtle smoky note to the shrimp
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional – a small pinch adds background heat without overpowering the sauce
  • Salt and black pepper to taste – season in layers rather than all at once so the dish does not turn out flat
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish – this brightens the finished dish and adds a pop of color

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble slightly. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and paprika on both sides before adding them to the pan. Cook for about thirty seconds per side, just until they turn pink, then remove them and set them aside on a plate.
  2. Lower the heat slightly and add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper to the same skillet. Stir constantly for about fifteen seconds, just until the garlic turns fragrant, since burnt garlic will make the whole sauce taste bitter. This step only takes a few seconds, so do not walk away from the stove.
  3. Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir it for one to two minutes until it wilts down completely and shrinks in volume. This is a good moment to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
  4. Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle in the grated parmesan cheese, stirring until the cheese melts smoothly into the cream. Let the sauce simmer gently for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste it here and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
  5. Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet along with any juices left on the plate. Cover the pan and let everything cook together for another thirty seconds to a minute, just until the shrimp are heated through. Avoid overcooking at this stage, since shrimp turn tough very quickly.
  6. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the top right before serving for a bright finishing touch. Serve the dish immediately while the sauce is still warm and glossy. This is the moment where the whole kitchen smells incredible, so do not let it sit too long before digging in.

Notes

  • I always pat my shrimp dry with a paper towel before seasoning, since wet shrimp will not sear properly and end up steaming instead
  • I never overcrowd the skillet when searing shrimp, because too many at once will drop the pan temperature and give you rubbery shrimp instead of a nice sear
  • I keep the heat at medium once the cream goes in, since high heat can cause the sauce to break or separate
  • I taste the sauce right before adding the shrimp back in, because that is the easiest time to fix the seasoning
  • I double the sauce whenever I am serving this over pasta or rice, since the shrimp alone do not leave enough sauce to coat a full plate of noodles