Lemon Shrimp Pasta Delight (Printable version)

Vibrant pasta featuring shrimp in a tangy lemon-garlic sauce, perfect for quick and elegant meals.

# List of ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Seafood

03 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Sauce

04 - 3 tbsp olive oil
05 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
08 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional; may substitute with chicken or vegetable broth)
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing

11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
13 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Pat the shrimp dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine or broth, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce.
06 - Return shrimp to the skillet. Add drained pasta and toss together, incorporating reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Remove from heat. Toss with chopped parsley and optional Parmesan cheese.
08 - Plate immediately and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready faster than you can decide what to watch, but tastes like you spent your whole evening on it.
  • The balance of bright lemon and rich butter feels almost luxurious without being fussy or complicated.
  • Shrimp cooks so quickly that you can't really mess it up, which means dinner anxiety goes out the window.
02 -
  • Shrimp overcooks in about thirty seconds if you're not paying attention, so stay focused during that sear—it goes from perfect to rubbery faster than you'd believe.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; that starch is what transforms your sauce from thin and slick to silky and clinging.
  • The garlic needs to smell fragrant but never brown, because burnt garlic turns bitter and ruins everything—low and slow is the move here.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining—cold surprise moves at the stove are never fun.
  • If you're cooking for guests and need to pause, you can cook everything ahead and gently reheat it in the skillet with a splash of that pasta water, which keeps the sauce from breaking.

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