Garlic Butter Jumbo Shrimp - Perfect Party Dish

Rich, buttery, and packed with garlic flavor — elegant enough for special occasions, simple enough for any party

About This Recipe

Garlic butter shrimp are one of the fastest-disappearing dishes on any buffet table. Rich, buttery, bright with lemon, and packed with garlic flavor, they feel elegant enough for special occasions while being surprisingly simple to prepare.

This version uses peeled jumbo shrimp for cleaner, easier buffet serving and is scaled to generously fill a standard 13×9 inch half-size catering pan — perfect for parties, holiday buffets, and large gatherings.

Ingredients 5½ lbs raw jumbo shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined, tails removed 12 tbsp unsalted butter 3 tbsp olive oil 6 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) ¼ cup dry white wine (optional) Zest and juice of 1 large lemon ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste ½ tsp white pepper Lemon wedges and sliced baguette, for serving

Method

1. Shrimp already shelled makes your and your guests life easy, grab your peeled shrimp, give them a rinse and pat them with a paper towel to dry. Season lightly with kosher salt and white pepper.
   
2. Make the garlic butter: in a large skillet over high heat, melt butter add the olive oil until hot and foaming. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. If using white wine, pour in now and simmer 1 minute.
   
3. Cook the shrimp: working in batches in a single layer, sear shrimp for 1½–2 minutes per side until pink and just opaque. Do not overcook.
   
4. Finish the dish: return all shrimp to the skillet. Add grated lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Toss gently until evenly coated in the garlic butter sauce.
   
5. Transfer immediately to your 13×9 inch half-size catering pan. Spoon extra garlic butter sauce over the top and garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges.
   

Pro Tip
Keep the skillet extremely hot and cook the shrimp in batches — overcrowding causes the shrimp to steam instead of sear, which makes them rubbery instead of juicy.

Chafing Dish Setup

• Leave the pan uncovered — trapped steam makes shrimp watery
• Serve within 45–60 minutes of cooking for the best texture
• Set out sliced baguette so guests can mop up the garlic butter sauce

Make-Ahead Tips
The garlic butter sauce can be made several hours ahead. For best results, cook the shrimp shortly before serving — shrimp become rubbery if fully cooked too far in advance and reheated repeatedly.

Serving Ideas

Serve with:

• Lemon Herb Couscous
• Garlic Rice
  
• Roasted Vegetables
  
• Caesar Salad
  
• Lemon Herb Salmon
  
• Thai Green Vegetable Curry

Scaling This Recipe

For very large events (30+ guests), cook in two batches and use two 13×9 inch pans. Stagger the cooking times so a fresh, hot pan comes out 30–45 minutes into service.

Complete Your Spread

Pair this dish with:

• Lemon Herb Baked Salmon
  
• Mac & Cheese
  
• Caribbean Jerk Chicken