Looking for a restaurant-quality pasta dish you can make at home? This Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is your answer. I’ve perfected this recipe to be both incredibly delicious and surprisingly simple to prepare. The combination of succulent shrimp and perfectly al dente pasta, all tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce, creates a meal that’s both elegant and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink. Remove to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add remaining butter and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add white wine and lemon juice, simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Add pasta to the skillet with the garlic butter sauce. Toss well, adding pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
- Return shrimp to the skillet, add parsley and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Cook Time and Serving Size
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Recipe Notes
For best results, keep these tips in mind:
- Don’t overcook the shrimp – they should be just pink and opaque. Overcooked shrimp become tough and rubbery.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining – it’s essential for achieving the perfect sauce consistency.
- Use fresh garlic instead of pre-minced for the best flavor.
- Make sure your pasta is al dente – it will continue cooking slightly when tossed with the hot sauce.
- If you’re not using wine, chicken broth makes an excellent substitute.
- For a lighter version, you can reduce the butter to 4 tablespoons without significantly impacting the flavor.
- This dish is best served immediately while the sauce is hot and silky.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
Looking for a restaurant-quality pasta dish you can make at home? This Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is your answer. I've perfected this recipe to be both incredibly delicious and surprisingly simple to prepare. The combination of succulent shrimp and perfectly al dente pasta, all tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce, creates a meal that's both elegant and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
- 6 tablespoons butter divided
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink. Remove to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add remaining butter and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add white wine and lemon juice, simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Add pasta to the skillet with the garlic butter sauce. Toss well, adding pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
- Return shrimp to the skillet, add parsley and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
