Garlic butter shrimp pasta takes less than 30 minutes to make and tastes amazing — shrimp tossed with a rich butter sauce, pasta, and fresh herbs? Yes, please!
It’s such an easy shrimp recipe but it feels fancy-ish – think shrimp scampi meets pasta for the best dinnertime hook-up ever. It’s great for a special occasion but quick enough for a weeknight dinner.
Table of contents
This easy garlic butter shrimp pasta recipe is like a big hug – had a tough week? Dog mad at you? Feeling put upon and misunderstood? Treat yourself to a pan of this buttery shrimp pasta goodness.
This recipe makes enough for two with some garlic toast on the side. Or, double it up to serve more – that works, too.
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Ingredients
- Spaghetti or other long pasta like fettuccine, linguine, or angel hair pasta
- Shrimp
- Unsalted butter
- Minced garlic clove
- Dry white wine
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Chopped fresh parsley
Extras: Add a few pinches of red pepper flakes to dial up the heat factor or add some freshly ground black pepper for a simple garnish.
How to Make It
Boil the pasta following the package directions and then drain it.
Melt butter in a large skillet and add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook them until they are pink and opaque. Take them out of the skillet and set them aside.
Melt more butter in the pan and add the garlic and cook it until softened but not browned.
Add the wine, zest, and lemon juice and bring the liquid to a boil for about a minute so it can reduce. Lower the heat and add the rest of the butter and whisk so the sauce comes together.
Add the cooked shrimp, cooked pasta, and parsley. Toss to coat everything evenly in the sauce.
A Few More Notes
This garlic shrimp pasta is a really great Friday or Saturday night thank goodness the week is finally over dish.
It’s also a great I I’m gonna wow my friends and family dinner and flex my cooking prowess dish.
It’s also a once in a while dish because have you seen how much butter there is? I know, it’s so good.
I hope you give it a try – Enjoy!
Happy cooking,
More Easy Recipes
- One-Pan Spaghetti Bolognese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 11 Easy Dinner Recipes for Two
- 30-Minute Steak Carbonara for Two
- Tomatillo Chicken Pasta
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.
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Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This garlic butter shrimp pasta feels fancy-ish but is so easy to make. It’s a great special occasion meal but easy enough for a weeknight dinner, too.
Ingredients
- 4 oz spaghetti
- .75 lb shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- A pinch or two of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine (I use Chardonnay)
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot heat salted water (should taste like the sea) over high heat. Once boiling, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
- In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and cook until they turn opaque, about 1-2 minutes per side. Depending on the size of the pan the shrimp may need to be cooked in batches. Once cooked remove from the pan and set aside.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Once melted add the garlic (and red pepper flakes, if using) and cook until the garlic is softened. Lower the heat, if necessary, to avoid browning the garlic.
- Add the wine, zest, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and allow the mixture to reduce for a minute or so. Lower the heat and slowly add in the rest of the butter (1-2 tablespoons at a time). Use a whisk to help the mixture emulsify.
- Add the cooked shrimp to the sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle the parsley over the top. Add in the cooked spaghetti and, using tongs, toss everything together. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. If using frozen, be sure to fully thaw the shrimp before cooking. This can be done fairly quickly by covering the frozen shrimp in cold water for about 20 minutes. Once thawed, dry the shrimp with a clean dish towel otherwise they won’t cook properly.
Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Taste
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 548
- Sugar: 2.2g
- Sodium: 23.8mg
- Fat: 35.5g
- Saturated Fat: 21.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44.7g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Protein: 8.3g
- Cholesterol: 94.4mg
Keywords: shrimp pasta recipe, butter garlic pasta, garlic butter shrimp
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Post and photos updated from the archives. First published in February 2015.
Brook says
Tasty and easy! Thanks for another awesome recipe.
★★★★★
April Anderson says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Kari says
This was absolutely delicious! It was quick, easy and the whole family loved it. Will be making this part of the go-to rotation in our house!
April Anderson says
Oh, that’s so great! Glad your family loved it 🙂
Liz says
My husband loves shrimp and I love pasta so this recipe is perfect for the two of us! Plus it’s easy to make!
★★★★★
Sues says
I want to fall off the wagon with you!! Shrimp and pasta and BUTTER are the perfect combination!
★★★★★
Kristen says
Love this recipe! I made it for company the other night and it was a huge hit.
★★★★★
Robin Duncan says
I made this tonight and it was really good. I made the dish per recipe and found it light and tasty despite the 6 tbsp of butter. Husband really enjoyed it. I would make this one again
April says
Hi Robin! Thanks so much for letting me know – so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca) says
Your first paragraph made me smile. Yes, I’d agree that is the best way to fall off a wagon 🙂 And this looks like a great recipe!!!
April says
Thanks Chrissie!
Brian Jones says
This looks so good, I am a sucker for seafood, in fact I occasionally wonder why I moved to a landlocked country, fortunately I can on occasions get really great frozen shrimp!
★★★★★
Renee says
A small side salad and this is the perfect meal!!!! It looks delicious and simple to prepare.
April says
It’s so easy, Renee!
Diane says
Gosh this looks so yummy! Yes! I’ll join you!