Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

There's something about the smell of garlic hitting hot butter that makes you drop everything. One rushed weeknight, I was standing in my kitchen with a pound of shrimp and fifteen minutes to dinner, and this dish came together almost by accident—the kind of meal that feels complicated but tastes like you've been cooking it for hours. The chili gives it just enough edge to keep things interesting, and somehow a thirty-minute dinner from start to finish became the dish I keep making when I want to impress without the stress.

I made this for friends who said they were vegetarian, except they weren't actually vegetarian—they just hadn't found seafood that appealed to them. Something about the way the shrimp turned golden and the butter pooled with those bright lemon notes changed their minds that night. Now when they visit, it's the first thing they ask for.

Ingredients

• Spaghetti or linguine, 350g: The thinner pasta grabs the buttery sauce better than thick noodles; don't skip reserving that starchy pasta water for finishing.
• Large raw shrimp, 500g, peeled and deveined: Pat them completely dry before cooking or they'll steam instead of sear—this one step changes everything.
• Unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons: Butter carries flavor better than oil alone, so don't skip it or use margarine.
• Olive oil, 3 tablespoons: The combination with butter keeps the garlic from burning at higher heat.
• Garlic, 5 cloves, finely minced: Fresh garlic is non-negotiable here; the mincing matters because whole cloves won't distribute the flavor evenly.
• Small red chilies, 1–2, deseeded and sliced: Fresh chilies give a better depth than flakes, though flakes work if that's what you have.
• Lemon zest and juice: The zest adds brightness that juice alone can't—don't skip the zest step.
• Fresh parsley, 1/4 cup chopped: Add it at the very end so the color stays vibrant and the flavor doesn't cook away.

Instructions

Get the water boiling and the shrimp ready:

Salt your water generously—it should taste like the sea. While it comes to a rolling boil, pat your shrimp bone-dry with paper towels and season them lightly; wet shrimp won't brown properly.

Cook the pasta until it's just tender:

Don't walk away from the pot, and test it a minute or two before the package says. You want it with a tiny bit of bite, because it finishes cooking when you toss it with the hot shrimp butter.

Build the aromatic base:

Melt the butter and oil together over medium heat, then add your minced garlic and chilies. You're looking for that moment when the kitchen smells incredible but nothing has started to brown—usually 1 to 2 minutes.

Sear the shrimp just until pink:

This happens fast, maybe 90 seconds per side. The second they turn opaque, they're done; overcooked shrimp gets rubbery and there's no coming back from that.

Add brightness with lemon:

Stir in the zest and juice while everything is still hot. The lemon will cut through the richness of the butter and balance the heat from the chili.

Bring it all together:

Drain your pasta and toss it straight into the skillet with the shrimp and sauce. If it looks a bit dry, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until it coats everything but isn't soupy.

Finish with parsley and taste:

Stir in your fresh parsley right before serving, then taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed. Everyone's heat tolerance is different, so this is when you make it perfect for your table.

Save

The best part of this meal isn't any single ingredient; it's the moment when you taste it and realize something this good took you less time than a sitcom episode. There's a kind of quiet pride in pulling off a dish like this on a random Tuesday.

Why This Comes Together So Fast

The magic here is that everything cooks simultaneously: while your pasta is boiling, you're building the sauce. By the time the noodles are done, the shrimp and garlic-chili butter are ready to meet them. There's no resting, no complicated timing—just honest ingredients that cook in real-time in front of you.

The Heat Question

Not everyone wants the same level of spice, so I've learned to add heat gradually rather than all at once. Start with one small chili, taste it, and go from there. You can always make it hotter, but you can't take heat away once it's in.

Variations You Can Easily Make

This formula works with almost any quick-cooking protein. I've made it with scallops, which stay tender if you don't overcook them, and once with a mix of shrimp and white fish. Even the pasta is flexible—fresh linguine cuts the cook time even shorter, or use whatever shape you prefer.

• Swap shrimp for scallops or firm white fish if you like, adjusting cook time slightly based on thickness.
• Add a splash of white wine or vermouth to the butter for extra depth, letting it reduce by half before adding the shrimp.
• Toss in fresh spinach or arugula at the very end for a green accent.

Save

This is the kind of dish that proves simplicity done right beats complicated every single time. Keep the ingredients on hand and you've got a weeknight dinner solution that never feels like you're repeating yourself.

Common Recipe Questions

→ What type of pasta works best?

Spaghetti or linguine are ideal as they hold the garlic-chili butter sauce well and complement the shrimp’s texture.

→ How can I adjust the spice level?

Increase red chilies or add a pinch of cayenne pepper for more heat, or reduce them for a milder flavor.

→ Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, but thaw completely and pat dry to ensure they sear properly without releasing excess water.

→ Is there a substitute for butter?

Olive oil can be used, but butter provides richness essential to the dish’s flavor profile.

→ How do I keep the pasta from drying out?

Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining and add it to the skillet to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta evenly.