Garlic Prawns Recipe Sizzled in Garlic Butter

There’s a special kind of hush that falls over the table when a hot pan of prawns hits the surface, still snapping and sighing in garlic butter. Someone leans in with a wedge of lemon. Someone else tears a piece of bread. And then the chatter starts again happy, bright, a little greedy. If you’re looking for a garlic prawns recipe that delivers that exact moment every time, you’ve found it.

This is my all-occasion, zero-stress way to cook juicy prawns that are sweet, bouncy and glossed in a proper garlic–lemon butter. It works on the stove, the barbecue or under the grill, and it scales from date night to backyard crowd with almost no extra effort. I’ll walk you through the small, specific steps that matter, how to pat prawns dry, why a pinch of bicarb can keep them snappy, what heat level caramelises without overcooking, and how to finish the pan sauce so it clings without splitting.

Whether you searched for Australian garlic prawns recipe, garlic prawns recipe easy, Easy australian recipe for garlic prawns, or simply need fresh australian dinner ideas tonight, this guide is for you.

Why This Garlic Prawns Recipe Works

• Fast but thoughtful. Prawns cook in minutes; we make every second count with good prep and proper heat.
• Juicy every time. A quick dry brine keeps the texture bouncy, not mealy.
• Balanced flavour. Garlic is present but not harsh, butter is rich but lifted with lemon and herbs, and a splash of wine (or stock) creates a silky sauce.
• Flexible method. Pan, barbecue or oven grill all produce the same golden-edged, juicy prawns.
• Built for Aussie kitchens. Uses common supermarket ingredients and the prawns we find at our local fisho or big-box stores.
• Scalable. Double the butter sauce for a pasta toss, or serve as a starter with crusty bread.

Most importantly, this garlic prawns recipe is memorisable. Make it once with me and you’ll be able to make it by heart next time.

Prawns 101: Sourcing, Preparing and Keeping Them Juicy

Which prawns?

Use raw prawns fresh or thawed with shells removed and tails on or off to your preference. I love Australian tiger, king or banana prawns (size 16–20 per 500 g). Smaller school prawns cook faster and are great for appetisers. Avoid pre-cooked prawns for this recipe; they overcook easily.

Fresh vs frozen

Frozen prawns are brilliant if handled well. Thaw overnight in the fridge (best), or submerge sealed bags in cold water for 20–30 minutes. Drain thoroughly and pat very dry before cooking.

Deveining and drying

Run a small knife down the back to remove the vein. Rinse briefly, then dry—really dry—between paper towels. Surface moisture is the enemy of browning and the friend of rubbery texture.

The dry-brine trick (optional but excellent)

For bouncy, juicy prawns, toss 1 kg peeled prawns with 1 teaspoon fine salt and ½ teaspoon bicarb (baking soda). Rest 15 minutes, then pat dry again. This seasons the prawns and helps them stay snappy. Don’t overdo the bicarb (more than ½ tsp can taste soapy).

Pantry & Flavour Notes

• Garlic: Fresh cloves only. We sweat half slowly for sweetness, then add the rest late for punch.
• Butter + olive oil: The oil raises the burn point so the butter doesn’t scorch; the butter carries flavour.
• Lemon: Zest for perfume, juice for brightness.
• White wine or seafood stock: A splash deglazes the pan and builds sauce. Use water if that’s what you’ve got; the prawns lend flavour.
• Parsley: The classic; chives or dill are lovely extras.
• Chilli: Optional—but a pinch of flakes or a diced fresh red chilli turns this into an Aussie garlic recipe you’ll crave.
• Bread or rice: Garlic prawns beg for something to soak up the sauce: toasted sourdough, warm rice, or buttered pasta.

The Rhythm (Cook Like a Pro Without Thinking)

1. Dry prawns → season quickly.
2. Sear prawns in batches over high heat (just shy of cooked). Remove.
3. Lower heat → butter, garlic and chilli → go slow for fragrance.
4. Deglaze with wine/stock → reduce to a glossy puddle.
5. Return prawns with lemon juice and parsley → toss 30–60 seconds until just cooked.
6. Finish with zest and a last dab of butter for sheen. Serve immediately.

This simple rhythm turns a good garlic prawns recipe into a great one, because it respects time and temperature.

A Little Story (How This Became My Forever Prawn Method)

When I was 22, I worked the pass in a tiny coastal café in New South Wales. Friday nights, the chef would push a pan of prawns into my hands and say, “Two minutes, Ella. Not a second more.” The first time I hesitated, they went from glistening to tough, and I learned a lesson you can only learn by wrecking a pan of expensive seafood: prawns need decisiveness. Hot pan, quick sear, out. These days I still hear his voice when I cook this garlic prawns recipe. It’s the same two minutes, the same citrus finish, only now I get to add the parsley with a flourish and walk the plate to my own table.

How to Serve Garlic Prawns (And Make It a Meal)

• With bread: Pile into a shallow bowl with generous sauce and toasted sourdough.
• Over rice: Spoon prawns and sauce over jasmine rice with a side of steamed greens.
• With pasta: Double the butter, add ½ cup pasta water and toss through al dente linguine.
• On the barbecue: Skewer prawns, brush with garlic butter as they grill, and finish with lemon.
• As a starter: Smaller prawns in ramekins, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkle of parsley.

For australian dinner ideas that feel special but take minutes, this is always on my list.

Garlic Prawns Recipe Sizzled in Garlic Butter

Recipe by Ella McKenzieCourse: MainCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

8

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

Total time

23

minutes

A fast, fragrant garlic prawns recipe for bouncy, juicy prawns tossed in garlic–lemon butter with a hint of chilli. Cooked on the stove or barbecue in minutes, with a silky pan sauce made for bread, rice or pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 kg raw prawns, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)

• 1 tsp fine salt

• ½ tsp bicarb (baking soda) — optional for texture

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 60 g unsalted butter, divided (20 g for searing, 40 g for sauce)

• 5–6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 tbsp)

• ½ tsp chilli flakes or 1 small red chilli, finely diced (optional)

• 80 ml dry white wine or seafood stock (⅓ cup)

• Zest of 1 lemon + 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (plus extra to serve)

• Black pepper, to taste

• To serve: lemon wedges, toasted sourdough or cooked rice

Directions

• Season and dry. Pat prawns very dry. Toss with salt and bicarb (if using) and rest 10–15 minutes. Pat dry again.
• Sear prawns. Heat a large skillet on high. Add olive oil and 20 g butter. When foaming subsides, add half the prawns in a single layer. Sear 45–60 seconds until just pink on the underside; flip and cook 30–45 seconds more. Transfer to a warm bowl. Repeat with remaining prawns.
• Build sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining 40 g butter. Stir in garlic (and chilli if using). Cook 60–90 seconds until fragrant and just golden at the edges—don’t brown the garlic.
• Deglaze. Add wine/stock; simmer 60–90 seconds, scraping up browned bits, until the liquid reduces by about half and looks glossy.
• Finish. Return prawns to the pan with lemon juice and parsley. Toss 30–60 seconds until just cooked through. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and a grind of pepper. Taste and adjust—more lemon for brightness, a pinch of salt if needed.
• Serve. Tip into a warm shallow bowl. Add extra parsley and lemon wedges. Spoon over bread or rice and enjoy immediately.

Notes

• Heat is everything. Use a pan that holds heat (cast iron or heavy stainless). Crowding lowers heat; cook in batches.
  Don’t overcook. Prawns curl into a ‘C’ when just done; a tight ‘O’ means overcooked.
  No wine? Use stock or water. A teaspoon of Dijon can add gentle complexity.
  Extra saucy for pasta. Double butter, add ½ cup pasta water and another tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Barbecue method. Toss prawns in 1 tbsp oil, thread onto soaked skewers and grill 1–2 minutes per side. Melt butter with garlic in a small pan on the side; brush over to finish.
  Dairy-free. Swap butter for a good plant-based alternative or extra-virgin olive oil.
  Make-ahead. Prep prawns (peeled, deveined, dried) up to a day ahead; keep chilled on paper towels in a covered container.

Variations You’ll Actually Cook

• Creamy garlic prawns: After deglazing, stir in 150 ml thickened cream and simmer briefly. Finish with lemon juice and parsley. Serve over fettuccine.
• Garlic butter prawns with capers: Add 1 tbsp capers with the wine and a spoon of brine; finish with dill.
• Garlic chilli prawns: Double the chilli, add a pinch of smoked paprika and a drizzle of chilli oil at the end.
• Garlic prawn skewers with pineapple: Thread prawns alternately with pineapple chunks; brush with garlic butter as they grill.
• Garlic prawns and tomatoes: Add a cup of halved cherry tomatoes with the garlic; cook until they slump, then proceed.

Side Dishes That Love Garlic Prawns

• Rocket and shaved fennel salad with lemon dressing
• Charred broccolini with olive oil and sea salt
• Buttered corn with paprika and lime
• Simple tomato–basil salad
• Crusty bread rubbed with a cut clove of garlic and drizzled with olive oil

Together these turn a quick garlic prawns recipe into a complete Australian dinner idea without fuss.

Troubleshooting (Real-World Fixes)

Prawns leaked liquid and stewed.
Pan was too small or not hot enough, or prawns weren’t dry. Use a bigger pan, cook in batches and pat them dry thoroughly next time.

Garlic tasted bitter.
It browned too much. Lower the heat before adding garlic, stir constantly and add liquid as soon as it smells fragrant.

Sauce too thin or oily.
Reduce a little longer after deglazing, and whisk in a small knob of cold butter off the heat to emulsify.

Prawns tough.
They were overcooked. Pull them earlier; they continue cooking when returned to the sauce.

Too salty.
Skip added salt and use unsalted butter if your stock is salty. Balance with lemon juice.

Safety, Storage and Reheating

Cook prawns to opaque and firm. Leftovers keep 1–2 days refrigerated in a shallow container. Reheat gently over low heat just until warmed through; high heat will toughen them. For packed lunches, I prefer to eat leftovers cold on salad with extra lemon.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The best seafood dinners feel a little bit fancy, a lot bit fast. With this garlic prawns recipe, you get both: bouncy, juicy prawns that taste of the sea, glossed in a lemon-garlic butter you’ll want to mop up with bread. It’s the kind of Australian garlic prawns recipe that turns a Tuesday into a celebration and a Saturday into something people remember. Keep prawns in the freezer, lemons in the bowl, and garlic on the bench—dinner is never more than minutes away.

Thanks for cooking with me. If you make it, tag me and tell me how you served yours—over pasta, with rice, or with a pile of toasted sourdough by the beach.