Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
The perfect Camping Food can be eaten with your hands. These easy to make Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp are a healthy and quick camping recipe.

The perfect Camping Food can be eaten with your hands. These easy to make prawns with lemon garlic butter are a healthy and quick camping recipe. Camping food should be easy and relatively fuss-free, but that doesn't mean you can't eat well. I just came back from a 5 day camping trip to Manning Park with my sister and little nephew and we ate well, very well.
Local, sustainably-harvested prawns with garlic lemon butter probably don't seem like camping fare, but hear me out. The prawns take only about a minute to cook, the butter 5 minutes to make, and if you toast some bread over the campfire and toss some lettuce in some pre-made dressing you can have dinner on the picnic table in about 10 minutes. Plus there's very little cleanup. And where else but a campground is better for a meal eaten mainly with your hands?
This is one of my go-to camping recipes. It's easy, delicious, and travels well in the cooler. Just make sure to freeze the prawns before you go and use then as soon as they thaw.
Tips for a delicious camping trip:
- Bring food that you and your family love to eat. There's no need to eat bad food just because you're camping.
- Food that cooks fast is a real win (think: prawns, burgers, fish, fajitas, tacos).
- Freeze your meat or fish before you go. It will last longer in your cooler and help keep everything else in there chilled too.
- Don't forget your veggies. With a cutting board and a good knife, you can make a big salad, veggie fajitas, or loaded veggie tacos in no time.
- Get away from your Coleman stove and use the campfire. Corn on the cob, toast, tomatoes, and potatoes all taste great with a little smokey flavor.
- Get things a little organized at home. Pre-make burgers and freeze them, whip up a little dressing, throw all of the dry ingredients for pancakes in a resealable plastic bag and bring it with you.
- Pack along some tin foil and use it to wrap up your meat and veggies and cook them over the fire.
- Remember that you are camping and have all the time in the world, what else do you have to do besides enjoy delicious food? Take advantage of this time and treat yourself and your family to some wicked camping food.

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe
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Ingredients
- ā cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ lb large shrimp, peeled and deviened
- 1 pinch crushed chili peppers, optional
- 1 pinch EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, can substitute parsley
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.ā cup butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the prawn prawns, chili flakes, salt, and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. Remove them from the heat as soon as they turn pink. Be careful not to overcook or they will turn rubbery. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro.1 ½ lb large shrimp, 1 pinch crushed chili peppers, 1 pinch EACH: sea salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
- Serve the prawns with lemon wedges on the side.Lemon wedges
For more inspiration, check out all of our shrimp recipes!
I made these at home – not camping! – and they were still great. Loved the flavor. I’ll keep this one in mind for next camping season!