Lemon Garlic Prawns Recipe

Prepare prawns

If not already done, peel and devein prawns leaving tails on or off as you prefer. Pat prawns very dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl and season with the coarse salt and black pepper; toss to coat evenly. Let sit 5–10 minutes while you prepare the sauce so excess moisture is drawn off.

Mince garlic and zest lemon

Finely mince garlic; zest the lemon with a microplane and then juice it to yield about 3 tablespoons of juice. Chop parsley and set aside.

Heat fat

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter. When butter has melted and the mixture is shimmering (but not smoking), reduce heat slightly to medium.

Cook garlic

Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned (browned garlic will taste bitter).

Deglaze and make sauce

Add the white wine (or chicken broth) and lemon juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer briskly for 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes.

Sear prawns

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the seasoned prawns in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding). Cook undisturbed for 1.5–2 minutes until the underside turns pink and edges begin to brown.

Flip and finish

Flip each prawn and cook for another 1–2 minutes until opaque and just cooked through (total cook time ~3–4 minutes depending on size). Avoid overcooking to keep prawns tender.

Coat and finish the sauce

Return heat to medium. Pour the pan sauce over the prawns, stirring to coat. Add the chopped parsley and cook 30 seconds to marry flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with flaky sea salt and additional lemon juice if needed.

Transfer prawns to a warmed serving plate. Spoon remaining sauce from the pan over the prawns. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges alongside. Serve immediately with crusty bread, rice, or pasta to soak up the sauce.