Recipes
Shrimp Pasta
2026-05-06
Shrimp pasta is one of those dishes that looks like a restaurant order but actually comes together in about 30 minutes with no complicated technique required. The trick is not overcooking the shrimp — they’re done in just a couple of minutes, and even one extra minute in the pan turns them from tender to rubbery.
What makes this recipe work
Cook the shrimp separately and briefly, then pull them out of the pan — they’ll finish cooking once they go back in with the sauce and pasta. The garlic-butter sauce, brightened with white wine and lemon, stays light without overpowering the shrimp itself.
Don’t dump out all the pasta water after draining. A splash of that starchy liquid helps the sauce cling to the pasta and keeps the finished dish from looking dry.
Easy swaps
For a creamier version, stir in a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream at the end. White wine can be swapped for vegetable or fish broth with a squeeze of lemon juice — the flavor ends up simpler but still well balanced. Bump up the red pepper flakes if you want more heat, or toss in halved cherry tomatoes with the garlic for a more summery take.
This dish is best served right away — seafood pasta doesn’t reheat well, and the fresh herbs and lemon brightness fade quickly once it sits.
Ingredients
- 250 g spaghetti or linguine
- 400 g peeled shrimp, fresh or thawed
- 4 garlic cloves
- 40 g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100 ml dry white wine (broth works as a substitute)
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
- zest and juice of half a lemon
- a handful of fresh parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
- grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, reserving about half a cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side until pink, then transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter and cook the minced garlic with the red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in the white wine or broth and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet and add the lemon juice and zest.
- Add the cooked pasta, splashing in a bit of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce, and toss well.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately, with grated Parmesan if you like.
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