Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta (Printable)
Spaghetti tossed with garlic-chili butter and tender shrimp, brightened with lemon and fresh parsley.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
→ Shrimp
03 - 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garlic-Chili Butter
06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 1–2 small red chilies, deseeded and thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Optional Garnish
13 - Extra chopped parsley
14 - Grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Lemon wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and black pepper.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add minced garlic and sliced chilies; sauté for 1–2 minutes until aromatic but not browned.
04 - Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
05 - Incorporate lemon zest and juice, stirring to evenly coat the shrimp.
06 - Add drained pasta directly to skillet. Toss thoroughly with shrimp and garlic-chili butter. Gradually add reserved pasta water if needed to loosen sauce.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley, grated Parmesan, and lemon wedges if preferred.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- It's done faster than you can order takeout, yet tastes restaurant-quality.
- The garlic-chili butter is so good you'll find yourself scraping the pan.
- One skillet does most of the work, which means less cleanup after dinner.
02 -
- Wet shrimp will release moisture and steam instead of searing—the paper towel step isn't optional.
- Pasta water is your secret weapon: that starch-filled liquid turns the butter into a silky sauce that clings to every noodle.
03 -
- Buy shrimp that's been frozen and thawed rather than fresh from the case—it's fresher and gives you better texture once cooked.
- Keep a microplane zester handy; it makes lemon zest so much finer and more potent than a box grater.