Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

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This Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta is an elegant restaurant-quality pasta dish that’s so simple to make right at home in less than 30 minutes. Easy to make with a pasta pot and a single skillet, it’s a recipe that’s sure to impress any crowd.

A couple of summers ago, I was hosting a dinner party and wanted an easy pasta recipe that would really wow everyone at the table. That’s when this Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta was born, and I’ve made it dozens of times since. Shrimp is cooked until beautifully pink and tossed with noodles in a creamy and rich lemon garlic butter sauce.

It was so popular that night that all of my friends asked for the recipe, truly it’s better than our local Italian restaurant. The best part, it’s simple to make in less than 30 minutes with no fancy equipment. I’m all about a no-fuss recipe, and this shrimp garlic pasta is just that!

If you love a great pasta recipe, you should also try my Creamy Eggplant Pasta and Lemon Spaghetti.

Creamy garlic shrimp pasta with herbs in a large white skillet, ready to serve

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

10-ingredient gourmet pasta recipe. This isn’t just any pasta recipe, this garlic shrimp pasta is truly pro level, and will be an impressive main course for any party.
Easy cleanup and prep. With just a large pasta pot and a skillet, you will have this dish made in no time. It will also be quick to clean up.
A family favorite pasta any time of the year. Consider this a recipe that’s going to be placed in your recipe arsenal. It’s a family favorite of ours, and we guarantee you’ll love it too.

Jenn’s Tip: Be sure to reserve some of the starchy pasta cooking liquid, this is the key component to making a super silky and creamy pasta sauce.

Ingredients

Shrimp: You want to buy large shrimp here that are already peeled and deveined. If you have frozen shrimp, no problem! Just thaw them completely before cooking.
Unsalted butter: Adds creaminess to the pasta.
Extra virgin olive oil: Cooking oil for the shrimp as well as pasta ingredients.
Garlic cloves: Infuses the garlic shrimp pasta with so much delicious flavor.
Red pepper flakes: Adds spice if desired.
Dry white wine: Used to deglaze the skillet, and adds a nice depth of flavor to the sauce.
Lemon: Gives a hint of acidity that brightens all of the flavors.
Heavy cream: The creamy component for the shrimp pasta.
Fresh flat-leaf parsley: Used for garnish for a hint of freshness.
Fresh basil: Adds bright herbaceous flavor.
Linguine spaghetti, or fettuccine: The noodles we love to use for this recipe, we love the long and thinner style to coat the sauce beautifully.

How to Make Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear for 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink and cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

Shrimp cooking in olive oil and garlic in a white pan

Shrimp sautéing in garlic butter in a white skillet for creamy pasta

Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) to the same pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant—do not let the garlic brown.
Add the white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add the lemon zest, a small squeeze of lemon juice, and most of the chopped parsley and basil. Stir to combine.

Whisking creamy garlic sauce in a skillet to prepare shrimp pasta

Stirring fresh chopped herbs into a creamy garlic sauce for shrimp pasta

Add the cooked pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss well to coat the noodles and bring everything together.
Return the shrimp to the pan and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until heated through.

Creamy garlic shrimp pasta with herbs in a white skillet

Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining fresh herbs.

Expert Tips

Don’t overcook the shrimp or they will become rubbery in texture. They only need about 1–2 minutes per side. Overcooked shrimp become tough quickly, so remove them from the pan as soon as they turn opaque and pink.
Use good-quality white wine. Choose something dry and crisp (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) that you’d drink, it makes a difference in the sauce.
Sliced garlic gives a gentler flavor. Thinly slicing (instead of mincing) keeps the garlic from overpowering the dish and lets it infuse the oil more evenly.
Add fresh herbs at the end. Stir in the parsley and basil just before serving to keep their flavor bright and fresh.
The heavy cream is optional. Leave it out for a lighter, more traditional version or keep it in for a velvety finish.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water if needed to re-loosen the sauce.

We don’t recommend freezing this garlic butter shrimp pasta, as it will compromise the quality of the shrimp and pasta.

Creamy garlic shrimp pasta with herbs and lemon in a white skillet

FAQs

Can I use frozen shrimp in garlic shrimp pasta?

Yes, you can use them just be sure to full thaw before cooking.

How long does it take to cook shrimp for pasta?

All you need to do is sear them about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Why do you add the garlic for pasta?

You want to add it near the beginning to infuse the olive oil or butter with the flavor before cooking the rest of the dish.

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