Lemon Shrimp Pasta Delight (Printable)
A zesty seafood pasta featuring succulent shrimp in a tangy lemon-garlic sauce with al dente spaghetti.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water
→ Seafood
03 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Sauce
04 - 3 tbsp olive oil
05 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
08 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional; substitute with chicken or vegetable broth)
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Finishing
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
13 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining olive oil and butter to skillet. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine (or broth), and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly reduce.
06 - Return shrimp to skillet. Add drained pasta and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Remove from heat and toss with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you can actually make this on a weeknight without losing your mind.
- The lemon and garlic create this perfectly balanced brightness that makes you want to scrape the pan clean with bread.
- Shrimp cooks so fast that there's almost no room for error, unlike chicken dishes where timing feels like guesswork.
02 -
- Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery instantly, so the moment they turn opaque and stop being translucent, they're done—seriously, that's the whole window.
- That reserved pasta water isn't just an afterthought; the starch in it is what transforms the sauce from thin and oily to glossy and coating, so don't skip saving it.
- The heat under the skillet matters: too high and the garlic burns before it even smells good, too low and nothing gets color on the shrimp.
03 -
- Keep the heat medium to medium-high throughout—it's easier to speed up than to recover from burnt garlic, and burnt garlic will ruin the whole mood of the dish.
- Shrimp size matters less than freshness, but larger ones do give you a bit more time and forgiveness since they're less likely to overcook completely in the short window.