Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable Version)

Juicy shrimp tossed with spaghetti in a vibrant lemon garlic butter sauce. Light, elegant, and ready in just 30 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Steps:

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 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. Remove 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 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Return cooked shrimp to the skillet with any accumulated juices. Toss to coat evenly.
07 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
08 - Adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as desired.
09 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking but you're done in thirty minutes, leaving you time to actually sit down and eat.
  • The lemon and garlic create this bright, punchy flavor that makes even weeknight dinners feel special.
  • You only dirty two pots, and honestly, that alone is worth celebrating.
  • Shrimp cook so fast that there's no waiting around, and they soak up every bit of that buttery sauce.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and the sauce was dry and sad instead of silky and clingy.
  • Pull the shrimp off the heat as soon as they turn pink, overcooked shrimp are rubbery and no amount of sauce can save them.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough to toss everything together, combine the pasta and sauce in the pasta pot instead.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest your lemon directly over the pan so the oils spray into the butter, it makes the flavor so much brighter.
  • If you don't have white wine, a splash of chicken or vegetable broth with a squeeze of extra lemon juice works just as well.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet off the heat for a minute before serving, it gives the sauce time to cling and the flavors time to settle.
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