Easy Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe

This creamy lemon garlic shrimp linguine is a quick and delicious meal perfect for any weeknight dinner.

You’ll love this simple shrimp pasta recipe that’s bursting with fresh flavors. It’s a fantastic option for those busy evenings when you want something satisfying and homemade without spending hours in the kitchen.

This recipe delivers on taste and convenience, making it a staple in many households. The combination of bright lemon, pungent garlic, and tender shrimp tossed with perfectly cooked linguine creates a harmonious dish that’s both comforting and elegant. Discover the details and get ready to impress your family with this easy-to-follow recipe.

Creamy Lemon Garlic Shrimp Linguine

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• Total Time: 25-30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

This creamy lemon garlic shrimp linguine is a quick and delicious meal perfect for any weeknight dinner. You’ll love this simple shrimp pasta recipe that’s bursting with fresh flavors. It’s a fantastic option for those busy evenings when you want something satisfying and homemade without spending hours in the kitchen.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 pound linguine (or fettuccine)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1–2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

2. Saute the Shrimp: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Remove the cooked shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

3. Create the Garlic Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

4. Deglaze with Wine/Broth: Pour in the white wine or chicken broth and fresh lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly and allow the flavors to meld.

5. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked and drained linguine to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.

6. Add Shrimp and Finish: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Toss everything together gently until the shrimp is heated through and everything is well combined.

7. Season and Serve: Taste the pasta and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on the side.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
• Category: main dish
• Method: saute
• Cuisine: italian-american

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving

Keywords: shrimp pasta, lemon garlic, weeknight dinner, creamy sauce, quick meal, easy recipe, linguine, seafood pasta, garlic shrimp, lemon shrimp

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe

This recipe is a true winner for anyone looking for a fast, flavorful, and family-friendly meal. It’s designed for busy home cooks who want to put a delicious dinner on the table without a lot of fuss or specialized ingredients. The beauty of this lemon garlic shrimp pasta lies in its simplicity and the vibrant flavors that come together in a flash. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner when time is short, but you still crave something homemade and satisfying. You can also easily scale it up for a small gathering or a casual dinner party, as it looks impressive but requires minimal effort. The fresh lemon brightens the rich garlic and butter sauce, while the shrimp cooks quickly, ensuring a tender bite every time.

Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress

Gathering your ingredients before you start cooking makes the whole process smoother and more enjoyable. This recipe uses readily available items you might already have in your pantry or can easily pick up at any grocery store. No exotic spices or hard-to-find produce are required, making it truly stress-free.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound linguine (or fettuccine)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the pasta, while linguine is specified, fettuccine or even spaghetti would work beautifully as well. If you don’t have dry white wine on hand, chicken broth is an excellent non-alcoholic substitute that will still provide depth to the sauce. Feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your family’s preference; omit them entirely if you prefer no heat. When choosing shrimp, fresh or frozen (thawed) both work well. Just make sure they are peeled and deveined to save you time.

Time Needed From Start To Finish

This recipe is truly designed for speed, getting a delicious meal on your table in under 30 minutes.

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 15-20 minutes
• Total time: 25-30 minutes

How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues

Follow these simple steps to create your delicious lemon garlic shrimp pasta. The key is to have everything prepped before you start cooking, as the shrimp and sauce come together very quickly.

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Sauté the Shrimp: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Remove the cooked shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
3. Create the Garlic Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Deglaze with Wine/Broth: Pour in the white wine or chicken broth and fresh lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly and allow the flavors to meld.
5. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked and drained linguine to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
6. Add Shrimp and Finish: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Toss everything together gently until the shrimp is heated through and everything is well combined.
7. Season and Serve: Taste the pasta and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on the side.

Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life

This lemon garlic shrimp pasta is incredibly versatile, allowing for easy adaptations to suit different tastes or what you have on hand. For a kid-friendly twist, you can reduce or omit the red pepper flakes entirely. If your kids aren’t keen on shrimp, cooked chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces can be a good substitute, or you can even do a mix of both.

To add more vegetables, consider tossing in some fresh spinach during the last minute of cooking, allowing it to wilt into the hot pasta. Cherry tomatoes, halved, or asparagus spears, blanched and chopped, also make wonderful additions. For a richer sauce, a splash of heavy cream can be stirred in at the end, just before adding the Parmesan.

This dish is fantastic on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with a simple side salad with a light vinaigrette or some crusty garlic bread for soaking up every last bit of that delicious sauce. For a more substantial meal, serve it alongside roasted broccoli or steamed green beans. It’s also a great option for a casual buffet-style dinner; just keep it warm in a slow cooker on a “warm” setting if serving a crowd.

Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Even simple recipes can have common pitfalls. Being aware of these can help you achieve perfect results every time with your lemon garlic shrimp pasta.

• Overcooking the Shrimp: This is the most common mistake. Shrimp cooks very quickly, often in just 1-2 minutes per side. Overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and tough. Watch them closely and remove them from the pan as soon as they turn pink and opaque. They will continue to cook slightly when added back to the hot pasta.
• Burning the Garlic: Garlic can go from perfectly fragrant to burnt and bitter in a matter of seconds. Keep the heat at medium and stir constantly when sautéing the garlic. If it starts to brown too quickly, remove the pan from the heat for a moment.
• Not Salting the Pasta Water: Salting the pasta water generously is crucial for flavoring the pasta itself. Think of it like seasoning the foundation of your dish. The water should taste like the ocean.
• Forgetting Reserved Pasta Water: That starchy pasta water is your secret weapon for a silky, cohesive sauce. It helps bind the sauce to the pasta and can thin it out if it becomes too thick. Always remember to scoop out a cup before draining your pasta.
• Overcrowding the Pan: When searing shrimp, if you put too many in the pan at once, they will steam instead of sear, resulting in less flavor and a less desirable texture. Cook the shrimp in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to accommodate them in a single layer.

How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture

This lemon garlic shrimp pasta is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored and reheated.

To store leftovers, transfer the cooled pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. The shrimp may lose some of its tender texture upon reheating, but the flavors will still be delicious.

When reheating, gently warm the pasta in a skillet over medium-low heat. You may need to add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce and prevent it from drying out. Stir frequently until heated through. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make the shrimp rubbery and the pasta dry.

• Peel and devein the shrimp and store them in the refrigerator.
• Mince the garlic and chop the parsley, storing them in separate airtight containers.
• Squeeze the lemon juice.

Having these components ready will significantly cut down on your active cooking time when you’re ready to make the meal.

Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?

FAQs

• Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
• How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
• Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
• Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.