Ready in a flash, at 15 minutes or less, this one-pan Lemon Garlic Black Pepper Shrimp is garlicky, buttery, with a fresh, bright flavor from the lemon and just a little heat from the black peppercorns. Pair with zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash for an easy-to-make meal, perfect for a busy weeknight, but elegant enough to serve up to guests.
Since I have launched the Meal Plans Service and especially as I have continued to work one-on-one with nutrition clients, I have found myself very drawn toward creating simple, yet still fairly epic weeknight meals. Meals that ‘WOW’ without a ton of fuss. This is what I am loving creating more than nearly anything else right now. Recipes that people will actually make! Most specifically I have been loving those of the one-pan, ready-in-under-30-minutes variety. It’s been so rewarding getting the instagram notifications, on the very same day a recipe posts here on the website, that you guys are already making them. That says something and it’s the ultimate compliment.
This Lemon Garlic Black Pepper Shrimp makes the perfect weeknight recipe, since you can prep it in mere minutes and cook it in just a couple more. If you are in a real rush, buy already cleaned, deshelled and deveined shrimp and now you’ve got a 10 minute dinner.
Even better, in all it’s simplicity, this dish is also elegant enough to impress dinner guests. Serve it up with some Charred Asparagus, Roasted Broccoli or a simple salad.
Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the last shell segment and the tail fin intact. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and lightly salt.
Add 2 olive oil in a large skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium-high heat.
Add the shrimp to the pan. Cook until pink, about 3 minutes; take out of the pan and set aside.
Add the minced garlic and peppercorns to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until very aromatic, about 1 minute, but don’t allow the garlic to brown or burn. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and lemon zest. Allow to cook and reduce by at around half. Add in the remaining butter (ghee or olive oil), 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in the shrimp. Toss gently to combine.
Serve right away, garnished with parsley leaves and lemon wedges, if desired. Delicious over cooked zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
Swap out the lemon juice for ¼ cup white wine to mix it up.