Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

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Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

This garlic butter shrimp pasta is a classic weeknight dinner with juicy jumbo shrimp, plenty of garlic, a silky butter-parmesan sauce, and a bright hit of lemon — all on the table in 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

Keyword: garlic butter shrimp pasta, garlic shrimp pasta, shrimp pasta, weeknight pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 601kcal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (3 for sauce, 1 cold tablespoon to mount at the end)
6 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon chili flakes optional, more to taste
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup reserved pasta water plus more as needed
⅓ cup parmesan finely grated, plus more for serving
1 lemon zested and juiced
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer — work in batches if needed — and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove to a plate.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound jumbo shrimp
Reduce heat to medium. Add some butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add garlic and chili flakes (if using) and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant — don’t let the garlic brown.
6 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits, until mostly cooked off.
½ cup dry white wine
Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with some reserved pasta water. Toss to coat, adding more pasta water as needed — the sauce should be loose and glossy. Off the heat, stir in the parmesan and toss until melted and silky.
½ cup reserved pasta water, ⅓ cup parmesan
Return the shrimp to the pan. Add the lemon zest and juice and parsley. Toss for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon cold butter and toss until glossy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately with extra parmesan on the side.
1 lemon, ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, 1 tablespoons unsalted butter

Notes

Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the shrimp. Work in batches if needed — crowding causes the shrimp to steam rather than sear, and you’ll lose the caramelized flavor that builds the sauce.
Use as much pasta water as you need. Half a cup is the starting point, but add more freely as you toss. The sauce should look loose and glossy — it will tighten as it sits.
Wine substitute: Replace the white wine with an equal amount of chicken broth. Add a small extra squeeze of lemon at the end to compensate for the acidity.

Nutrition