Description
A quick, restaurant-quality weeknight dinner featuring shrimp in a bright, creamy lemon garlic butter sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 ounces linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium lemons (juice of one, zest of the other)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients: Peel and devein shrimp, pat dry, mince garlic, zest and juice lemons, and chop parsley.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and sear for 1-2 minutes per side until pink. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir constantly for 30-60 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add lemon juice and zest. Stir and let bubble for 1 minute to thicken slightly.
- Add drained pasta and cooked shrimp back to the skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy sauce.
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
Pat shrimp dry before cooking to ensure they sear rather than steam. Do not overcook shrimp or they will become rubbery. Save pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Use fresh lemon juice and garlic for best flavor; avoid jarred garlic or bottled lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: shrimp pasta, lemon garlic butter, quick dinner, weeknight meals, seafood pasta, easy recipes, 20 minute meals