Quick Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
A quick and easy garlic butter shrimp pasta recipe that delivers rich, buttery garlic flavor and perfectly cooked shrimp in under 15 minutes, ideal for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or thawed frozen; wild-caught if possible)
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese for serving
- Optional: 1/4 cup white wine or reserved pasta water for deglazing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti or linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8-9 minutes). Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, pat dry shrimp and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Optional: Add white wine or reserved pasta water to deglaze the pan, stirring gently to lift browned bits.
- Return shrimp to the skillet, add drained pasta, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and lemon juice. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time to loosen sauce as needed.
- Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Sprinkle chopped parsley, toss again, and remove from heat immediately to prevent overcooking shrimp.
- Serve immediately, optionally topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Pat shrimp dry before cooking to ensure a good sear and avoid rubbery texture. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Cook garlic briefly to avoid bitterness. Add shrimp back to pan just before serving to keep them tender. Use gluten-free pasta for gluten-free diet and coconut oil or vegan butter for dairy-free version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: garlic butter shrimp pasta, quick dinner, easy shrimp pasta, 15 minute meal, weeknight dinner, seafood pasta, garlic shrimp, buttery pasta