Description
This easy garlic butter shrimp pasta is a quick, restaurant-worthy dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes. Plump shrimp, fresh garlic, and a silky lemon-butter sauce coat every strand of pasta for a meal that’s sure to impress any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
- 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine (regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional for dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Thaw shrimp if frozen by placing in a colander under cold running water for 4-5 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Mince garlic, zest lemon, and chop parsley. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until just al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When butter melts and foams, add shrimp in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes if using.
- Add lemon juice and zest, then pour in reserved pasta water. Simmer for about 2 minutes to emulsify and thicken slightly, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
- Add drained pasta and cooked shrimp back to the skillet. Toss everything together with tongs so sauce coats every strand. Sprinkle in chopped parsley and half the parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as needed.
- Plate pasta and shrimp. Finish with remaining parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve hot, with extra lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
Use fresh garlic for the best flavor. Don’t overcook the shrimp—remove them as soon as they turn pink and opaque. Reserve extra pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. For gluten-free, use GF pasta; for dairy-free, use vegan butter and skip parmesan. Add extra veggies or chili flakes to customize.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/4 of the recipe (1 heaping bowl)
- Calories: 525
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 27
Keywords: garlic butter shrimp pasta, shrimp pasta, easy dinner, 30 minute meal, seafood pasta, lemon garlic shrimp, weeknight dinner, Italian pasta, quick pasta recipe