Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Succulent shrimp in a bright lemon garlic butter sauce, paired with perfectly al dente spaghetti for an elegant Italian-American dinner.

# 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:

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, then drain pasta and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry with paper towels 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 to 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 minced garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine if using, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Return cooked shrimp to the skillet with any accumulated juices. Toss to coat evenly with sauce.
07 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, cohesive sauce.
08 - Adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means you can have a restaurant-quality dinner on a Tuesday.
  • The lemon and garlic create this clean, punchy flavor that never feels heavy, even after a long day.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients, and the shrimp cooks so fast you barely have time to set the table.
  • It reheats surprisingly well, though it rarely makes it to leftovers in my house.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the shrimp, I learned this the hard way when they just steamed instead of getting that nice golden crust.
  • Save more pasta water than you think you need, it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Cook the garlic just until fragrant, not brown, or it'll turn bitter and ruin the whole thing.
03 -
  • Use the biggest skillet you have so everything has room to move, crowding the pan makes the shrimp steam instead of sear.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the pasta, it should be a little more intense than you think because the pasta will mellow it out.
  • If you don't have white wine, a splash of chicken broth with a squeeze of extra lemon works beautifully.
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