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April 13, 2022Updated: September 12, 2022

Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta – Quick & Easy!

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Quick and easy garlic shrimp pasta!
Quick and easy garlic shrimp pasta!

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.

overhead shot of garlic shrimp pasta in a pan.

Table of contents

  • Ingredients
  • How to Make It
  • A Few More Notes
  • More Easy Recipes

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.

close up shot of a bowl of garlic shrimp pasta.

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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.

ingredients for the recipe.

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.

photo collage showing the shrimp cooking in the pan and the butter garlic sauce.

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 skillet of pasta with some being lifted out with tongs.

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,

April
a bowl of shrimp pasta.

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

garlic butter shrimp pasta.
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★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

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.

  • Author: April Anderson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Saute
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

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

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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.


16 Comments

About April Anderson

I’m a passionate home cook, cookbook author, recipe developer, freelance writer, food photographer, and dog mom ❤ I garnish (almost) everything with parsley and believe you can make deliciously amazing dishes with everyday ingredients.

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Comments

  1. Tmills says

    July 17, 2022 at 10:40 pm

    Wonderful

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Brook says

    April 25, 2022 at 1:06 pm

    Tasty and easy! Thanks for another awesome recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • April Anderson says

      April 25, 2022 at 2:49 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Kari says

    April 9, 2021 at 8:12 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • April Anderson says

      April 13, 2021 at 10:17 pm

      Oh, that’s so great! Glad your family loved it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Liz says

    May 15, 2018 at 3:21 pm

    My husband loves shrimp and I love pasta so this recipe is perfect for the two of us! Plus it’s easy to make!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Sues says

    May 15, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    I want to fall off the wagon with you!! Shrimp and pasta and BUTTER are the perfect combination!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Kristen says

    July 9, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Love this recipe! I made it for company the other night and it was a huge hit.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Robin Duncan says

    August 26, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    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

    Reply
    • April says

      August 27, 2016 at 7:46 am

      Hi Robin! Thanks so much for letting me know – so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  8. Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca) says

    September 23, 2015 at 12:25 am

    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!!!

    Reply
    • April says

      September 23, 2015 at 6:35 am

      Thanks Chrissie!

      Reply
  9. Brian Jones says

    September 21, 2015 at 2:15 am

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  10. Renee says

    September 19, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    A small side salad and this is the perfect meal!!!! It looks delicious and simple to prepare.

    Reply
    • April says

      September 20, 2015 at 3:39 pm

      It’s so easy, Renee!

      Reply
  11. Diane says

    September 18, 2015 at 9:59 pm

    Gosh this looks so yummy! Yes! I’ll join you!

    Reply

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Welcome to Girl Gone Gourmet

Hi, I’m April! Welcome to my food world where I share easy recipes made with everyday ingredients ❤ Whether you’re looking for great dinner recipes or ideas for breakfast, appetizers, sides, or desserts, I have so many delicious recipes to share with you! Learn more… 

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