🦐 Creamy Garlic Seafood Bowl
This Creamy Garlic Seafood Bowl is a 25-minute dinner with plump shrimp, tender lobster, and a silky garlic sauce. Extra-virgin olive oil starts the pan, lemon keeps the cream from tasting heavy, and black pepper finishes the bowl.
I love how fast seafood cooks. The sauce comes together in the same skillet, and that extra garlic is not optional. 🌿
Jump to Recipe ↓ 🦐
Why You’ll Love This Bowl 🌿
- 🦐 Dinner in 25 minutes
- 🦞 Shrimp and lobster in one skillet
- 🧄 Plenty of garlic in the sauce
- 🍋 Lemon to keep the cream bright
- 🫒 Extra-virgin olive oil as the base
- 🌿 Fresh parsley and black pepper
- 🍽️ Special enough for Friday, fast enough for a weeknight
Why This Bowl Fits an Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Plate
Seafood is a Mediterranean staple, and shrimp plus lobster give you lean protein with very little effort. The pan starts with extra-virgin olive oil and garlic, not a heavy roux. A modest splash of cream makes the sauce look like the photo without turning the bowl into a steakhouse plate. Lemon, parsley, and black pepper keep it sharp.
Do not boil the cream. Simmer it gently, add the seafood back at the end, and pull the pan off the heat as soon as the shrimp turn opaque.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
Can I use only shrimp? 🦐
Yes. Use 1 pound of large shrimp if you skip the lobster. The sauce stays the same.
What cream should I use? 🥛
Heavy cream gives the look in the photo. Half-and-half works if you want it lighter — simmer a minute longer so it thickens.
Can I serve this over something? 🍚
Warm rice, orzo, or crusty bread to catch the sauce. The photo is the seafood and sauce on their own in a bowl.
How do I keep the seafood tender? 🔥
High heat for a short sear, then finish in the sauce off a rolling boil. Overcooked shrimp go tight and rubbery in minutes.
🦐 Creamy Garlic Seafood Bowl
Ingredients 🛒
For the Seafood
- 8 oz (225 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 2 small lobster tails, meat removed and cut into chunks (or 8 oz extra shrimp)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
For the Garlic Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken or seafood broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions 👩🍳
- Pat the shrimp and lobster dry. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the seafood 1–2 minutes per side until just opaque at the edges. Transfer to a plate. It will finish in the sauce.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil and the garlic. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant — do not brown it.
- Pour in the broth and scrape the pan. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, oregano, and chili flakes. Simmer 3–4 minutes until the sauce looks glossy and slightly thick.
- Return the seafood to the skillet. Add lemon juice and most of the parsley. Warm 1–2 minutes, then taste for salt. Spoon into bowls and finish with black pepper and the rest of the parsley. Serve right away.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 bowl) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 540 |
| Protein | 38g |
| Net carbohydrates | 6g |
| Total carbohydrates | 6g |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Total fat | 38g |
| Sodium | 720mg |
Estimates based on shrimp, lobster tail, olive oil, and a modest cream sauce. Exact numbers vary with seafood size and how much sauce you spoon over.
Notes & Tips 💡
- Olive oil starts the pan so the cream sauce still sits in Mediterranean territory.
- Do not walk away from the garlic. Thirty seconds is enough.
- If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth. If it is thin, simmer one more minute.
- Frozen shrimp work if they are thawed and patted very dry.
- This is best eaten right away while the seafood is just cooked and the sauce is silky.
This Creamy Garlic Seafood Bowl is rich, garlicky, and done in 25 minutes. A simple dinner built on shrimp, lobster, olive oil, and lemon. 🦐🧄
If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment or tag me!
