Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable View)

Bright and flavorful spaghetti with juicy shrimp in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce. Quick, easy, and ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz spaghetti

→ Sauce

03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus additional for pasta water
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
13 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
14 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain pasta, and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque. Transfer shrimp to a plate.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine if using, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Return cooked shrimp to the skillet with any accumulated juices. Toss to coat thoroughly.
07 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky, cohesive sauce.
08 - Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper.
09 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you want something that feels special.
  • The lemon and garlic create a sauce so vibrant and silky that you'll find yourself soaking up every last drop with bread.
  • Shrimp cook so quickly that there's almost no risk of drying them out if you pay attention for just a few minutes.
  • It tastes like a restaurant dish but costs a fraction of the price and dirties only two pots.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, the starch in that cloudy liquid is what transforms a pool of butter and lemon into a cohesive sauce that coats every strand.
  • Overcooking shrimp turns them rubbery, so pull them off the heat the moment they turn opaque and let the residual heat finish the job when you toss them back in.
  • If your garlic starts to brown or smell sharp, it's already burned, lower your heat and start fresh because bitter garlic will ruin the whole dish.
03 -
  • Toast the red pepper flakes in the butter for a few seconds before adding the garlic to unlock their full flavor and create a deeper, more complex heat.
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the skillet so the fragrant oils fall straight into the sauce instead of clinging to your cutting board.
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it simmer an extra minute before adding the pasta, or if it's too thick, loosen it generously with pasta water until it flows like silk.
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