Last updated on August 26th, 2024 at 12:48 pm
Garlic butter prawns are a quick, easy, and burst-with-butter and garlic flavor dish. Imagine pan-seared prawns in a garlic butter sauce that come together in 20 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight meals. Serve with rice as a main course, or for a light dinner, serve with crusty bread.
This could be one of the easiest garlic butter prawns recipes.
This recipe uses simple ingredients that taste amazing.
It is so quick and easy to make and all you need is to serve it with a bowl of rice and some vegetables to make it a complete meal on a busy weeknight.
My daughter who was not keen on prawns before trying this dish, immediately gave this dish a thumbs up.
This means we will have more prawn dishes especially garlic butter prawns at the table even on busy days.
If it is this easy to make a flavor-packed weeknight meal then we shall go for it.
To prevent the prawns from becoming dry and tough, a Chinese cooking technique called velveting was used.
Coating the protein with cornflour and water and marinating it for 15 minutes before cooking will result in a soft and velvety mouth feel.
This is just something I have learnt from watching cooking videos on socials and reading food blogs to learn how to cook different cuisines.
What cooking techniques have you learnt from social media?
To give this dish a Southeast Asian flavour base I used fish sauce as the main seasoning then added salt and pepper and chilli flakes to add more depth.
If you love trying new flavors like fish sauce or want to go on a delicious culinary adventure, try this garlic butter prawn.
Ingredients
Prawns – use shelled and deveined prawns
Cornflour – used to velvet and keep the prawns moist
Water – used with cornflour for velveting
Cooking oil – vegetable oil or neutral oil, used for searing together with butter
Butter – used for searing the prawns and creating a buttery sauce.
Garlic – use as much fresh minced garlic
Fish sauce – key flavour, substitute with soy sauce but the umami flavor from the fish sauce will not be the same as the soy sauce
Salt and pepper – seasoning in addition to fish sauce
Sugar – a pinch of salt is added to balance the saltiness
Green onion/spring onion/scallion – chop some to finish off the dish
Optional ingredient: red pepper flakes – this will give the dish a little spice, use as much or as little as you like
Garnish with chopped parsley, cilantro or coriander if not using spring onion
How to cook easy garlic butter prawns?
Velvet the prawns with cornflour and water. Do this by mixing or massaging the prawns with the cornflour and water. Set the prawns aside for at least 15 minutes to marinate.
After 15 minutes, remove the prawns from the cornflour and water mixture.
Place the oil and butter into a pan and heat on medium. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until the prawns turn pink.
Season with the fish sauce and sugar. Add the green onion and check for the taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat off and plate to serve. Sprinkle chilli flakes as you wish. Garnish with chopped parsley, cilantro or coriander.
What to serve with butter garlic prawns
Serve butter garlic prawns as a dish to share along with rice, couscous, quinoa, pasta or crusty bread. Pair with a side salad to round out your meal.
Simple garlic butter prawns recipe without cream
Add a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce without cream.
How to make creamy garlic butter prawns?
Make this dish creamy by adding cream.
Storage
Let leftovers cool completely. Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
However, it is important to remember that refreezing prawns will affect their texture and can become rubbery.
Try these seafood recipes next:
Watch this short cooking video showing how to cook Easy Garlic Butter Prawns
If you make this, please leave a comment and a review to let us know how you liked this recipe.
Browse more recipes here or head to Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates on life in the countryside and beyond.
Let’s get cooking!
GARLIC BUTTER PRAWNS
Ingredients
- 200 grams prawns shelled, deveined
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- pinch sugar
- 1 tbsp green onion chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix the prawn with cornflour and water. Set the prawns aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Remove the prawns from the cornflour and water mixture.
- Place the oil and butter into a pan and heat on medium. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side of the prawns.
- Season with the fish sauce and sugar. Add the green onion and check for the taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat off and plate to serve. Sprinkle chilli flakes to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley, cilantro or coriander.
English