Spicy Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce Is The Cheat Code For Great Grilled Shrimp

When it comes to easy-to-prepare, delicious seafood, it's hard to beat shrimp. The crustaceans' flavor is mild, containing a pleasant sweetness accompanied by just a touch of fishiness. So as long as you don't under season — one of the main shrimp cooking mistakes to avoid — you'll be rewarded with a tasty result. And especially for grilled shrimps, one of the best ways to enhance flavor is with a sauce. You'll have so many classic seafood sauce styles to choose from: think a classic soft and decadent butter-baste, a tangy spritz of citrus, or a dollop of spicy peppery-goodness. Feeling indecisive about the exact kind of flavor vibe? Put it all together, and craft a spicy lemon garlic butter sauce.

Simply melt some butter, grate in a bit of garlic, and follow with a dash of lemon juice, a pop of finely chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of chili flakes and salt. All ingredients are easily available, and likely in your pantry already. Plus, they meld in a delightfully complex manner alongside charred shrimp. Lemon, butter and parsley is a tried and true sauce for seafood, and the garlic and chili add a bold kick that's more than welcome. Mixed all together, it's a combination of flavors that's greater than the sum of its parts. Just don't forget to upgrade your skewer game with your grilled shrimps to keep up with the newfound demand.

Not only does this combination of flavors come together quickly, but it's also a wonderful inspiration for further riffs, too. For example, you can lean into something more classic, and craft beurre blanc — an old-school French sauce made with butter, white wine, cream, and shallots. Although traditionally spooned over fish, the decadent mixture will do well with shrimp, too, and meld with a hit of spice.

Or you can mix up the bright and vegetal notes in the sauce. Try adding more citrus, like a dash of grapefruit for bitterness, or orange for sweetness. Maintaining at least some lemon is a good idea though; it's nice to have some tartness in the mix. And the herbs are also malleable: Tarragon and shrimp is a terrific combination, as is basil or some chopped chives.

Additionally, there's a wide variety of ways to alter the spice component, each of which will imbue a distinct character. If you're keen for a brighter, more pungent kick, then reach for one of the hot sauces that are actually worthy of your pantry space. Alternatively, for a more complex fermented and earthy spin, gochujang imbues a delicious savory notes. And if you're working spontaneously, a spoon or two of fridge stalwart sriracha is always welcome. So feel free to sub out on the fly; you'll just want to keep the melted butter as a dependable base.