Garlic Butter Seafood Sauce Recipe for Shrimp, Scallops & Fish

My favorite seafood is Pacific Northwest Dungeness crab. Each season we spend time on the docks and at the beach catching and cooking our own, and this sauce is always on the side while we clean and prepare the crab.

Dungeness crab is naturally sweet and delicate, so it needs only a simple companion to shine. This garlic butter sauce complements crab, clams, mussels, or shrimp by adding bright, buttery flavor without masking the seafood.

⭐️Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast and simple: Ready in under 10 minutes.
• Minimal ingredients: Only four items deliver great flavor.
• Versatile: Butter, garlic and lemon pair beautifully with a variety of seafood.
• Customizable: Add more garlic, a squeeze of lemon, or fresh herbs to suit your taste.

🧈Ingredients

Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter gives you full control over seasoning. If you use salted butter, taste before adding extra sea salt.

Fresh garlic: Fresh garlic has the best flavor. Mince finely or press—start with 6 cloves and add to taste.

Fresh lemon juice: A bit of lemon brightens the sauce and balances the richness of the butter.

Sea salt (pinch): To taste.

Optional: fresh herbs such as parsley, dill or chives to finish after removing from heat.

🫕How to Make

Step 1: Cut the butter into cubes and place in a small pot with a pinch of sea salt. Warm over medium-low heat until it reaches a gentle simmer.

💡Pro Tip: Keep the heat low so the butter does not brown or burn.

Step 2: Add the minced or pressed garlic and stir to combine.

Step 3: Simmer briefly—about 30 seconds to 1 minute—just until the garlic becomes fragrant. Avoid extended cooking to prevent bitterness.

Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice. Transfer the sauce to a small serving dish.

Optional: For a smooth sauce without garlic chunks, strain through a fine mesh strainer. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired.

🍽Ways to Serve

Serve the garlic butter warm alongside:

• Lump crab meat
• Shrimp
• Manila clams
• Mussels
• Drizzled over cooked fish

❓Recipe FAQs

🦀Other Seafood Recipes

📋Recipe

Garlic Butter Sauce for Seafood

A simple garlic butter sauce that highlights fresh seafood flavors with just four ingredients and a few minutes of work.

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 211 kcal

Equipment

• Small pot
• Citrus press (optional)
• Garlic press or knife

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 6–8 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• Pinch of sea salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Optional

• Fresh herbs (dill, parsley or chives)

Instructions

1. Dice the butter into cubes and add to a small pot with a pinch of sea salt. Warm over medium-low heat until it reaches a gentle simmer. Keep the burner low to avoid burning the butter.
2. Add the minced or pressed garlic and stir to combine.
3. Simmer just until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Transfer to a small dish and serve warm.

Optional

• Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer if you prefer a smooth butter without garlic pieces.
• Stir in chopped fresh herbs after removing from heat for extra brightness.

Notes

Butter: Cut into cubes and cook on low to prevent browning.

Garlic: Use fresh garlic and cook only until fragrant to avoid bitterness.

Salt: If using salted butter, taste before adding more sea salt.

Herbs: Add fresh herbs after removing from heat so they retain color and freshness.

Nutrition

Calories: 211 kcal
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 23 g

Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment and rating below.