A bowl of creamy grits topped with sautéed shrimp, garnished with chopped green onions, sits on a patterned tile surface next to a fork, lemon slices, and a bowl of more green onions.

Why you’ll love this lemon garlic shrimp

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Sometimes the simplest recipes are actually the best. The basic combo of lemon and garlic always works and by adding a little heat and fresh green onion, you get a flavor profile that allows the shrimp to shine bright.

Paired with some creamy coconut grits, this easy lemon garlic shrimp makes an incredible, restaurant-quality meal that could never disappoint.

If you’ve never tried shrimp and grits at home before, this is a great starter recipe.

→ If you like this recipe, you should try these: lemon garlic roasted chicken / baked lemon garlic salmon / lemon orzo soup

Shrimp cooked in a skillet with sauce, garnished with chopped herbs. A bowl of sliced green onions and a bowl of lemon wedges are nearby on a patterned blue and white surface.
A plate of shrimp in a garlic sauce served over creamy grits, garnished with chopped green onions and lemon wedges.

Ingredient notes:

  • Large shrimp – You can really do any size shrimp or prawns for this recipe, but we prefer a fairly large size when the shrimp is the star of the show. Just make sure they’re peeled and deveined – unless you want to do that yourself. I prefer tail-off, but leaving the tails on does make a prettier presentation.
  • Coconut milk – You want full-fat canned coconut milk for this. There isn’t a ton in the recipe and the extra fat gives you a flavorful, creamy texture in your grits.
  • Calabrian chile paste – My favorite is Italian bomba sauce. Trader Joe’s has a great one, but I also like this one from Meijer.
  • Dairy free butter – Any dairy free butter will work in this recipe. We typically use Earth Balance, but even a dairy free margarine like Smart Balance. Unlike baking, water content isn’t as important for this type of recipe.

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

A bowl of creamy grits topped with cooked shrimp, garnished with chopped green onions, sits on a patterned blue surface. Lemon wedges, red pepper flakes, and more green onions are on the side.

Melissa’s tips & tricks

  1. Brine your shrimp – Soaking your shrimp in a baking soda & salt bath can work wonders on this protein. The baking soda in the brine actually changes the pH of the shrimp, so they get that nice added crisp when cooking and they’re less likely to get overcooked. Plus, the salt adds flavor and helps the shrimp retain moisture. It’s a win-win.
  2. Use fresh garlic – This is one of only a few ingredients in this dish, so it’s important that you don’t use the jarred stuff for this recipe. Take some time to mince your own garlic and you’ll notice a huge difference.
  3. Mise en place – Don’t start cooking this recipe until everything is prepped. The shrimp cook incredibly fast, and making sure everything is chopped and measured ahead of time will make this recipe seem stupid simple.
A bowl of shrimp served over creamy grits, garnished with green onions and lemon wedges, with small bowls of sliced green onions, red pepper flakes, and lemon wedges nearby on a patterned blue and white table.

More easy shrimp recipes

A bowl of shrimp served over creamy grits, garnished with green onions and lemon wedges, with small bowls of sliced green onions, red pepper flakes, and lemon wedges nearby on a patterned blue and white table.
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Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Grits

These spicy lemon garlic shrimp are a fresh take on classic shrimp and grits that comes together in minutes. With tender, pan-seared shrimp in a flavorful, dairy free lemon butter sauce served over the creamiest coconut grits, this quick and easy recipe makes a delicious weeknight dinner any time of year.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
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Ingredients 

For the shrimp:

  • 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled & deveinged
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 – 2 teaspoon Calabrian chile paste
  • 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
  • 3 – 4 green onions, thinly sliced, optional for garnish

For the grits:

  • 1 cup quick-cooking grits
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons dairy free butter

Instructions 

  • Brine the shrimp. Fill a large bowl with about 8 cups of water – or enough to fully submerge the shrimp. Add shrimp, coarse salt and baking soda. Let the shrimp sit in the brine for about 30 minutes, or until fully thawed (if frozen).
    Drain and pat the shrimp dry with paper towel. Then, season them with salt & pepper.
    • This step is optional, but it's a great way to thaw frozen shrimp and it also adds a wonderful texture and little extra flavor to your shrimp.
  • Cook the shrimp. Heat a large skillet to medium-high. Working in batches, adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan for each batch, sear the shrimp on both sides until no longer pink.
    Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate while you cook the remaining shrimp.
  • Make the sauce. Return the shrimp to the pan. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and chile paste to the pan. Cook until fragrant, stirring to coat the shrimp and prevent burning.
    Then, add the lemon juice and dairy free butter. Add the dairy free butter and stir until melted and a sauce has formed.
  • Make the grits. In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Whisk in the grits and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the grits from sticking.
    When the grits have absorbed most of the liquid, stir in the coconut milk and dairy free butter. Remove from heat and let the grits rest until ready to serve. If needed, adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 146mg, Sodium: 1581mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin C: 9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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A woman wearing a pink sweater smiles excitedly while holding a plate of fresh salad with greens and strawberries, standing at a wooden table beside a delicious turkey salad sandwich.

Hi! I'm Melissa.

I create easy, dairy free recipes because I know how hard living without milk can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

Read more about me

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