Name: Shrimp Provençal with Garlic Butter and Parsley – Brazilian Style, Ready in 20 Minutes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: French-Brazilian
Ingredients: 500g (1.1 lb) large shrimp, cleaned and deveined (tails on preferred); 3 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging; 4 garlic cloves, finely minced; ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 2 cups cooked white rice, al dente (Not sure how to cook it? We’ve got you covered → How to Cook Rice 3 Easy Ways); Salt and black pepper to taste

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There’s a dish my mom has been making for over 30 years that never fails to stop everyone at the table. Golden, garlicky shrimp — lightly crisped in butter and olive oil, tossed with fragrant parsley, and mixed right into the rice so every single bite is soaked in that sauce. It’s one of those meals that feels like a restaurant dinner but comes together in under 20 minutes.

This Shrimp Provençal is our most requested recipe. And it has a story behind it.

More than 30 years ago, my mother walked into the kitchen of La Paillote, a classic French restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil. The chef was kind enough to cook this dish right in front of her — explaining every step, every detail. She’s been making it ever since, and we’ve been eating it ever since. It’s one of those recipes that belongs to the family now.

What makes this version different from the classic French Shrimp Provençal you might know? No tomatoes, no wine. This is the Brazilian interpretation — simpler, bolder, built around the trio that makes everything better: butter, garlic, and fresh parsley. The shrimp get a light flour dredge that gives them the most beautiful golden crust, and the sauce that forms in the pan is something you’ll want to put on everything.

Recipe at a Glance

Main star: Large shrimp, garlic butter, fresh parsley
Flavor profile: Rich, garlicky, buttery, with a hint of golden crust
Time: About 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Why it works: The light flour coating locks in the shrimp’s juices while building a gorgeous sear, and the garlic butter sauce that follows coats every grain of rice.

The Story Behind This Dish

In Brazil, Shrimp Provençal (Camarão à Provençal ) is a beloved classic — you’ll find it in traditional restaurants and home kitchens alike. It’s the Brazilian interpretation of the French à la Provençale style, which broadly means “cooked with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs.”

The French original often includes tomatoes, white wine, and fresh thyme. The Brazilian version strips it back beautifully — butter, garlic, parsley, and good shrimp. That’s it. And somehow it’s even better.

My mom learned this exact recipe standing in the kitchen of La Paillote, a French restaurant that was a São Paulo institution. The chef cooked the dish in front of her, step by step, and she never forgot it. Over 30 years later, this is still the recipe she makes — exactly as he taught her, unchanged.

Some recipes don’t need to evolve. This is one of them.

What You’ll Need for this Shrimp Provençal

500g (about 1.1 lb) large shrimp, cleaned and deveined (tails on preferred — they look beautiful and add flavor)
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
4 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cups cooked white rice, al dente (Not sure how to cook it? We’ve got you covered → How to Cook Rice 3 Easy Ways)
Salt and black pepper to taste

A note on the shrimp: Use the largest shrimp you can find — the bigger, the better. They stay juicy inside while getting that golden crust on the outside. Fresh or thawed frozen both work beautifully here.

Prep & Cook

Step 01

Season the cleaned shrimp generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.

Step 02

Spread the flour on a shallow plate. Lightly dredge each shrimp through the flour, shaking off any excess. You want a very thin, even coating — just enough to create a light crust, not a thick breading.

Step 03

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and half the butter. Once hot and shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and just pink through. Don’t overcrowd the pan — work in batches if needed. Remove the shrimp and set aside. This step is critical: pulling them out at the right moment keeps them tender.

Step 04

In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and the minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant — about 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it carefully; garlic can go from golden to burnt very quickly.

Step 05

Add the cooked white rice and fresh parsley directly to the skillet. Toss everything together until the rice is fully coated in the garlic butter sauce and the parsley is evenly distributed. Serve immediately, straight from the pan.

Secrets from Our Kitchen to Yours

Don’t skip the flour dredge. It’s the detail that makes this recipe special. That thin crust is what creates the golden color and keeps the shrimp juicy inside.
Pull the shrimp early. They’ll finish cooking when you return them to the garlic butter. Overcooked shrimp go rubbery fast — take them out while they still look just done.
Fresh parsley only. Dried parsley won’t give you the same vibrant flavor or color. This is a 3-ingredient sauce — every ingredient has to be at its best.
For this Shrimp Provençal, the rice should be al dente. Slightly undercooked rice absorbs the garlic butter sauce beautifully without going mushy. Leftover rice from the day before works wonderfully here. Need a foolproof method? Check out our guide on How to Cook Rice: 3 Easy Ways.
Tails on. If you can, leave the tails on while cooking — they add a subtle sweetness to the sauce and make the presentation absolutely gorgeous.
The right pan matters. A 12-inch skillet gives the shrimp enough room to sear properly without steaming. We use this SENSARTE Nonstick Frying Pan Skillet — great heat distribution and easy cleanup.

Serving Suggestions

This Shrimp Provençal is a complete meal on its own — the rice is already in there. But if you want to build out the table:

Roasted Vegetables — something light and fresh to balance the richness.
Pear Salad — the sweetness of pear works beautifully alongside garlicky seafood.
Lemon Mousse — bright and citrusy, the perfect ending to a buttery meal.

Featured Roasted Vegetables Medley With Parmesan — **Roasted Vegetables**

Lemon Mousse Featured Image 01 — **Lemon Mousse**

Put Your Spin on It

Add a squeeze of lemon at the end for brightness — it lifts the whole dish.
A pinch of chili flakes in the garlic butter adds gentle heat without overpowering the shrimp.
Serve without rice as an elegant appetizer with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Try it with pasta — toss with linguine instead of rice for a different take.
No parsley? Fresh chives or a small amount of fresh basil work as substitutes, though parsley is the soul of this dish.

Tasty Thoughts

There’s something deeply satisfying about a recipe this simple producing results this good. It’s not complicated. It’s not long. It doesn’t ask much of you. And yet — the moment that garlic hits the butter in the pan, the smell alone is worth making it.

My mom has made this shrimp provençal dish more times than any of us can count. For birthdays, for regular Tuesdays, for the moments when someone needs feeding, and nothing less than something truly good will do. It’s the kind of recipe that earns its place in your kitchen permanently.

Make it once and you’ll understand why she never changed a thing.

Common Questions

Can I use frozen shrimp? Yes — just make sure they’re fully thawed and patted completely dry before dredging. Any moisture on the shrimp will prevent that golden crust from forming.

What if I don’t have large shrimp? Medium shrimp will work, but reduce the cooking time slightly — about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Watch them closely; smaller shrimp overcook fast.

Can I make this ahead of time? The shrimp are best made fresh — they only take 20 minutes, so it’s worth waiting. If you need to prep ahead, the rice can be cooked the day before and refrigerated. Cold rice actually absorbs the sauce even better.

Can I leave out the flour? You can, but you’ll miss the golden crust that makes this recipe special. The flour creates a light coating that gives the shrimp their texture and helps the garlic butter sauce cling to them.

How do I store leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a small splash of water to loosen the rice.

What does “à Provençal” mean? In French cooking, à la Provençale refers to the style of Provence — typically featuring garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs. The Brazilian interpretation focuses on garlic, butter, and parsley, creating a richer, simpler sauce that’s become a classic in Brazilian restaurants and home kitchens alike.

Nutrition Note

Curious about calories or macros for this Shrimp Provençal? You’ll find a rough nutrition estimate in the recipe card below. Keep in mind it’s a ballpark figure based on common ingredients — not a medical guide. For anything more specific, it’s always best to consult a registered nutritionist.

Shrimp Provençal with Garlic Butter and Parsley – Brazilian Style, Ready in 20 Minutes

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Author: Mary
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

A classic Brazilian-style Shrimp Provençal — large shrimp lightly dredged in flour, seared golden in butter and olive oil, then tossed in a fragrant garlic butter sauce with fresh parsley and white rice. A French chef’s recipe passed down for over 30 years, made in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Units Scale

500g (1.1 lb) large shrimp, cleaned and deveined (tails on preferred)
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cups cooked white rice, al dente (Not sure how to cook it? We’ve got you covered → How to Cook Rice 3 Easy Ways)
Salt and black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Season the cleaned shrimp generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
Spread flour on a shallow plate. Lightly dredge each shrimp, shaking off excess. You want a very thin, even coating — just enough to create a light crust, not a thick breading.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and half the butter. Once hot and shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and just pink through. Don’t overcrowd the pan — work in batches if needed. Remove the shrimp and set aside. This step is critical: pulling them out at the right moment keeps them tender.
In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and garlic. Sauté until lightly golden and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Watch it carefully; garlic can go from golden to burnt very quickly.
Add the cooked white rice and fresh parsley directly to the skillet. Toss everything together until the rice is fully coated in the garlic butter sauce and the parsley is evenly distributed. Serve immediately, straight from the pan.

Notes

Don’t skip the flour dredge — it’s what creates the golden crust and keeps the shrimp juicy.

Pull the shrimp out while still slightly underdone — they’ll finish in the sauce.

Fresh parsley only — dried won’t give the same vibrant result.

Cold leftover rice works beautifully here and absorbs the sauce even better.

Note: These values are rough estimates based on common ingredients. For medical or dietary advice, it’s always best to consult a registered nutritionist or healthcare provider.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: French-Brazilian