Some weeknights call for a recipe with a short ingredient list and zero decisions. This is that recipe: plump shrimp, crisp-tender green beans, and a garlic butter sauce that comes together in one skillet in 25 minutes. The beans get a quick blanch so they stay bright green and snappy, the shrimp sear fast and hot, and everything gets tossed in sizzling garlic butter with a squeeze of fresh lemon. It’s the kind of dinner that tastes like you tried much harder than you did.
Why you’ll love it
- Five core ingredients. Shrimp, green beans, butter, garlic, lemon — plus salt and pepper. That’s the whole list.
- One skillet. The shrimp sear, the garlic butter builds, and everything finishes in the same pan.
- ~29g protein per serving (estimated), from 1 1/4 pounds of shrimp across four servings.
- Genuinely 25 minutes. A quick bean blanch is the only real prep; the skillet work is fast.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1.25 lb large shrimp (21/25 count), peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, half juiced (about 1 tbsp), half cut into wedges for serving
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, optional, for heat
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Equipment
A large pot for blanching, a large skillet (12-inch), a slotted spoon or spider strainer, and a bowl of ice water.
Instructions
- Blanch the green beans. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the green beans and cook 2–3 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain very well and pat dry. (Wet beans steam instead of sear.)
- Prep the shrimp. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels — dry shrimp sear instead of steam. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
- Sear the shrimp. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the shrimp in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and sear 1 1/2–2 minutes per side, until pink, opaque, and lightly golden at the edges. Transfer to a plate.
- Build the garlic butter. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. When melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just turning golden — not brown.
- Finish the beans. Add the drained green beans to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter. Cook 3–4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until heated through and glistening. Squeeze the lemon juice over the beans and toss again.
- Combine and serve. Return the shrimp (and any juices on the plate) to the skillet and toss 1 minute, just to rewarm and coat everything in garlic butter. Shower with parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Doneness cues: Shrimp are done when pink and opaque throughout with lightly golden seared edges — they curl into a loose “C” shape. An overcooked shrimp curls into a tight “O” and turns rubbery, so pull them the moment they’re opaque. For food safety, shrimp should reach 145°F internally. The beans are done when bright green and crisp-tender with a few charred spots from the skillet.
25-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp & Green Beans
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the green beans and cook 2–3 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain very well and pat dry. (Wet beans steam instead of sear.)
- Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels — dry shrimp sear instead of steam. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the shrimp in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and sear 1 1/2–2 minutes per side, until pink, opaque, and lightly golden at the edges. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. When melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just turning golden — not brown.
- Add the drained green beans to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter. Cook 3–4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until heated through and glistening. Squeeze the lemon juice over the beans and toss again.
- Return the shrimp (and any juices on the plate) to the skillet and toss 1 minute, just to rewarm and coat everything in garlic butter. Shower with parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition note
Protein is estimated at about 29g per serving, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients — this is an estimate, not a lab analysis. Actual values vary by brand and preparation.
Substitutions and tips
- Frozen shrimp work fine: thaw overnight in the fridge, then drain and pat very dry — excess water is the enemy of a good sear.
- No fresh green beans? Use 1 lb frozen green beans; skip the blanch and add them straight to the skillet in step 5, cooking 5–6 minutes until heated through.
- Make it a meal: serve over rice, orzo, or crusty bread to catch the garlic butter.
- Don’t walk away from the garlic. Sliced garlic goes from golden to bitter in under a minute; keep it moving and pull the pan off heat if it darkens too fast.
- Dairy note: this one leans on butter — olive oil won’t give you the same glossy sauce, but it works in a pinch (use 1/4 cup).
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water until just warmed through — high heat turns shrimp rubbery. Not recommended for freezing (the beans go limp and the shrimp toughen).
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen green beans? Yes — skip the blanch entirely. Add frozen beans directly to the garlic butter in step 5 and cook 5–6 minutes, tossing, until heated through and tender-crisp.
How do I know the shrimp are cooked through? Look for pink, opaque flesh and a loose “C” curl. If you want to be precise, they should reach 145°F internally. They cook in under 4 minutes, so watch closely.
Why are my shrimp rubbery? Almost always overcooking. Shrimp go from perfect to rubbery in about 60 seconds — sear hot and fast, pull them the moment they’re opaque, and only return them to the pan to rewarm.
Can I make this dairy-free? Use olive oil or a dairy-free butter in place of the butter. The sauce will be a little less glossy but still garlicky and good.
What should I serve with it? It’s a complete light dinner as-is, but rice, quinoa, or crusty bread stretches it into a heartier meal and soaks up the garlic butter.
More quick seafood dinners
Another 20-minute seafood win: our 20-Minute Shrimp Scampi with Chickpea Pasta is a reader favorite. For a one-pan chicken dinner, try 30-Minute Honey Mustard Chicken & Brussels Sprouts Skillet. More high-protein bowls: 30-Minute Teriyaki Salmon Bowls.