Shrimp Pasta

Linguini noodles coated in a creamy lemon garlic sauce with juicy jumbo shrimp to top it off – this shrimp pasta dish is super easy to make with minimal ingredients and BIG flavor!

Why this recipe works

The decadent creamy sauce really pulls this shrimp pasta recipe together. It’s a mixture of buttery-lemon-garlic goodness that you don’t even have to taste to understand. It pairs perfectly with tender noodles and plump shrimp.

Creamy shrimp pasta comes together quickly, in around 35 minutes, in fact. There’s not a whole lot to it, but boy does the flavor make it taste like something you spent a while on. Want to change up the flavors a little? Check out my chili lime shrimp, it would go so well with this lemon garlic sauce!

RELATED: you might also like this recipe – Sautéed Shrimp

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SHRIMP – Shrimp vary in size. They’re labeled by how many shrimp are in a pound – so the lower the number, the larger the shrimp. I used 21-25 per pound shrimp. You can use frozen or fresh, but if they are frozen, allow them to thaw completely before beginning.

PASTA – You can use whatever pasta shape you prefer. Long, thin pasta is the standard such as linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, or angel hair, but small shapes like rotini, penne, and rigatoni will work just as well!

PARMESAN – Freshly grated parmesan is ideal when tossing it into sauces. It’s richer in flavor and melts much smoother compared to the prebagged or bottled variety. You can substitute with preshredded if needed, just note that it may cause the sauce to be a bit grainy.

How to Make Shrimp Pasta

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Prepare shrimp by thawing completely (if frozen) and making sure they are peeled and deveined. Place shrimp on a few layers of paper towels and blot with additional paper towels so that they are as dry as possible.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the shrimp.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook linguini to desired tenderness. Reserve one cup of the pasta water and drain pasta the rest of the way.
4. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for about 30 seconds.
5. Add shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Allow them to cook without stirring until they are fully pink and slightly golden brown on one side (about 2 minutes). Quickly flip to the other side and continue cooking another 1-2 minutes until they are pink/opaque all the way through. Immediately remove from skillet.
6. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in the same pan. Add lemon juice and whisk in heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a low simmer.
7. Add parmesan cheese and whisk until sauce is smooth and cheese is fully melted.
8. Add cooked pasta and up to 1 cup of reserved pasta water into the sauce. Stir to coat pasta. Add the shrimp back into the pan just long enough to reheat gently.
9. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, if desired.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Store leftover shrimp pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To loosen the lemon garlic sauce, simply add pasta water. The pasta water helps break up the pasta and the sauce and keeps it from getting too thick and clumpy. You can adjust the amount of pasta water by adding it a little at a time. As the sauce cools, it will thicken also. I found about 1 cup of pasta water to be great, but feel free to adjust it to your preference.

Shrimp is cooked when it turns opaque in color with bright pink and red hues. The sweet spot for cooking skillet shrimp is 2-3 minutes MAX on each side. You do not want to overcook them, they will turn rubbery and tough.

Serving Suggestions

Shrimp pasta is quite filling on its own, but parmesan garlic rolls, garlic cheese rolls, or a crisp side salad are always a welcome addition. Serve warm with chopped parsley, extra parmesan cheese, and a lemon wedge.

More Pasta Recipes

• Pasta Primavera
• Mushroom Ravioli
• Simple Zucchini Tomato Pasta
• Pasta Carbonara
• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Shrimp Scampi Pasta

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