This succulent garlic butter shrimp cooked in white wine is rich, zesty, and ready in 20 minutes—perfect for date night, busy weeknights, or feeding hungry teens!

We have always loved shrimp around here and this garlic butter shrimp, cooked in white wine, is no exception. The rich combination of flavors in the lemon garlic butter sauce is absolutely delicious!

I must say that this is probably the easiest shrimp recipe that you will ever make. You only need a few ingredients and there are no complicated steps to follow. It is the ultimate 20-minute meal.

Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!

It’s the kind of meal that feels restaurant-worthy, but only needs one pan. This garlicky shrimp recipe has become one of our go-to favorites—whether it’s dinner for the fam or a cozy date night.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You’ll love this garlic butter shrimp recipe because it’s got all the flavor with none of the fuss. The lemon garlic butter sauce is rich and indulgent, but still fresh and light thanks to a splash of dry white wine and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

You only need a handful of simple ingredients, it’s ready in not time, and it can go with everything—angel hair pasta, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or just a hunk of crusty bread to mop it all up. Even picky eaters (and ravenous teenage boys) will be licking their plates clean!

This is one of my favorite recipes for an easy weeknight meal, date nights, or even as an appetizer. Serve your shrimp with sides like pasta, green beans, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, or nothing more than some crusty bread and a sprinkle of black pepper.

If you love this lemon garlic shrimp recipe, be sure to check out some of our other shrimp recipes, like this quick and easy shrimp bowl, grilled BBQ shrimp skewers, a creamy shrimp spaghetti, or shrimp tacos.

We paired our shrimp with a Gewürztraminer from one of my favorite local wineries, See Ya Later Ranch, but you can use any white wine you like. We actually used a cooking wine for this recipe and saved the good stuff for sipping.

This post contains affiliate links.

Kitchen Essentials for Sautéing

I love using these non-stick T-fal frying pans for all of my sauteing.
These silicone tongs are perfect for flipping and grasping.
This Henckel knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
These grilling bags make cleanup a breeze and these parchment paper bags are perfect for packaging.

How to Cook Garlic Butter Shrimp in White Wine

Supplies

Large skillet
Paper towel

Ingredients

Shrimp, peeled and deveined – I like wild-caught shrimp, but whatever’s on sale will work. Just make sure they’re fresh shrimp or fully thawed.
White wine – Save your favorite wine for drinking with this recipe, not for cooking.
Green onion, diced – Gives a fresh bite that cuts through the buttery richness.
Garlic clove, minced – Chop it up nice and fine.
Butter – This is the rich, melty base of the sauce, so go for unsalted butter to control the saltiness.
Lemon juice – Bright and zippy, it ties the whole dish together.
Chives, diced (optional) – Optional, but they add a fresh, mild onion flavor.

Instructions

1. Clean and prep your raw shrimp—devein and pat dry with a paper towel.

2. In a skillet, soak shrimp in white wine for a minute or two.

3. Add in your green onions and cook over medium-high heat until shrimp turn pink and opaque—this only takes about 2-3 minutes.

4. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat, then sauté the garlic until it starts to brown slightly.

6. Return shrimp to the pan and sauté until coated in butter and heated through.

7. Top with a dash of fresh lemon juice and chives.

Garlic butter shrimp is one of those family favorite meals that my boys cannot get enough of. While this recipe should generously serve four people, that really depends on if those people are growing boys. Mine could easily eat this all by themselves.

We often serve these shrimp along with our lemon chipotle BBQ salmon, with grilled asparagus on the side. Sounds amazing right?! Trust me, it is. And honestly, this dish is super easy to cook and tastes amazing!

Tips and Tricks

For even more fresh flavor, top your cooked shrimp with some fresh parsley or lemon zest. Add a bit of heat with red pepper flakes. You could even throw in a little Italian seasoning.
For a lighter version, olive oil may be used instead of butter.
Swap the white wine for chicken broth if you’re avoiding alcohol.
The size of your shrimp will affect how quickly the shrimp cooks. Large shrimp will take a little longer. Medium shrimp will cook faster.
Don’t overcook! Succulent shrimp can turn rubbery fast—pull them as soon as they’re pale pink and opaque.
You can use frozen or fresh shrimp for this recipe. If you are using frozen shrimp, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of cold water for about 20-30 minutes.
Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat gently over low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make garlic butter shrimp without wine?
Yes! You can swap the white wine for chicken broth to keep the flavor but make it non-alcoholic.

What’s the best wine for cooking garlic butter shrimp?
Go for a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. Save the fancy stuff for sipping!

Can I use frozen shrimp?
Absolutely. Just thaw them in a bowl of cold water or the fridge before cooking.

What sides go well with garlic butter shrimp?
Try it with angel hair pasta, white rice, green beans, brussels sprouts, or just keep it simple with garlic bread.

How do I know when shrimp is cooked?
When they’re pale pink, curled into a “C” shape, and no longer translucent, they’re ready.

This lemony garlic butter shrimp is perfect for impressing guests or feeding your family. Whether it’s part of your weekly rotation or the star of your next date night, this easy recipe is bound to become one of your new favorites—just don’t expect leftovers.

I hope you enjoy this easy lemon garlic shrimp as much as we do! What are some of your favorite shrimp recipes?

If you love this garlic butter shrimp in white wine recipe, please help me share it on Facebook and Pinterest so that others can enjoy it too!