Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender shrimp with garlic and lemon sauce served over pasta for a bright, flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)

→ Shrimp

03 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
12 - 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Garnish

14 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
15 - Lemon wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water then drain the pasta.
02 - Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat unsalted butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes if using; sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove shrimp from skillet.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and white wine or chicken broth to the skillet. Simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
06 - Return the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach desired consistency.
07 - Return cooked shrimp and chopped parsley to the skillet and toss gently to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinner that feels fancy enough for guests
  • The lemon juice and garlic create this incredible brightness that makes you feel like you're eating something incredibly fresh
  • Shrimp cooks so quickly that you barely have time to worry before it's perfectly pink and tender
02 -
  • Don't walk away from your shrimp once they hit the pan—they go from perfect to overcooked in about thirty seconds and there's no coming back from rubber shrimp
  • Save that pasta water before you drain anything; it's thicker than regular water and it's what makes your sauce cling instead of sliding off
  • Fresh lemon juice changes everything about this dish, and bottled just won't give you that brightness that makes people ask for the recipe
03 -
  • The secret to shrimp that stays tender is not overcooking it—pull it off the heat the moment it turns pink, because it keeps cooking from residual heat even after you've moved it to a plate
  • Toast your pasta pan before adding the sauce—a hot pan means your pasta reheats and coats evenly instead of clumping up and getting gummy
  • Make sure every ingredient is prepped before you start cooking because this dish moves fast and there's no time to be chopping garlic while your shrimp cooks

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