Have you ever eaten something that makes you stop mid-bite and mutter a quiet, slightly shocked “damn”? This is that kind of meal. Shrimp, garlic, butter, a splash of cream, and a few things that make you feel like maybe — just maybe — you didn’t screw up dinner for once.

This Tuscan butter shrimp dish doesn’t need a ceremony or violin music playing in the background. It’s rich without feeling heavy, quick without tasting rushed, and it somehow works just as well for a midweek “I don’t know what I’m doing” dinner as it does for something you pull together to impress someone you like. Or want to impress again.

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Nothing fancy. Just stuff that works:

• 1 lb prawns or shrimp (raw, deveined; tails are your call)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp real butter
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped with love or rage — your choice
• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved (they deserve it)
• 2 cups spinach (not the sad frozen bricks, please)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup Parmesan, grated — not the dusty shelf kind
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper — don’t be shy
• A handful of chopped parsley for flair

Instructions

Preparation

Start with the shrimp. If they’re soggy, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Pat them dry like you’re drying off a cat — quick and determined. Toss in some salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning until they stop looking bored.

Heat your olive oil in a large skillet. Medium-high should do. Drop in the shrimp. Let them sit there like little sunbathers for about 2 minutes per side — don’t stir them to death. Pull them out when they’ve got color and confidence.

Cooking

Same skillet. Add butter and garlic. Stir until the smell hits you like a truck — in a good way. Garlic cooks fast, so don’t wander off.

Throw in the tomatoes. Let them blister and soften, turning into these little pockets of flavor you’ll pretend you planned all along.

Next up, the spinach. It’ll look like too much. It’s not. Trust the process. It shrinks down and melts into the sauce.

Pour in the cream. Stir gently. Lower the heat so it simmers — not boils like it’s mad at you. Add the Parmesan, and now you’ve got a sauce that actually wants to be there.

Put the shrimp back in. Stir to coat. Let it all hang out for another couple of minutes.

Serving

Plate it up while the sauce still glistens. Top with parsley — not because you’re trying to be cute, but because it tastes like you care.

It’s great with zucchini noodles, sautéed greens, or if you’re not counting carbs, pasta. Fettuccine makes sense. So does sourdough. You’re the boss here.

Nutritional Value Per One Serving

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 430
Total Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 18g
Cholesterol: 230mg
Sodium: 670mg
Total Carbohydrates: 7g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 28g

Tips and Variations

You’ve got options. Not too many. Just enough:

• No dairy? Coconut cream works, though the taste shifts. Not in a bad way.
• Like heat? A pinch of red pepper flakes when the garlic goes in makes a difference.
• Out of shrimp? Chicken breast slices or scallops can hold their own in this sauce.

And for the love of leftovers — don’t reheat this in the microwave unless you want rubbery shrimp. Reheat gently on the stove if you must.

Conclusion

This Tuscan butter prawn recipe isn’t chasing trends. It’s not trying to get likes or applause. It just works. Rich, garlic-heavy, slightly over-the-top — and still weirdly simple. You’ll make it once, then again the next week, and then “accidentally” buy shrimp just to have an excuse to cook it again.

Some meals show off. This one shows up. Every single time.

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