Description
This Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is a quick and flavorful dish featuring succulent shrimp cooked in a garlic butter sauce with a hint of lemon and white wine, tossed with perfectly al dente pasta and finished with parmesan and fresh parsley. It’s an easy yet elegant meal perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces (225g) spaghetti or your choice of pasta
Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the Shrimp: Add the shrimp to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until shrimp turns pink and is cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Pour in the white wine (or chicken broth) and lemon juice, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Toss Pasta and Shrimp in Sauce: Return the cooked pasta and shrimp to the skillet, tossing to coat everything in the garlic butter sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water little by little to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Add Cheese and Parsley: Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, tossing well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Serve: Serve immediately, garnishing with additional Parmesan and parsley if desired for extra flavor and presentation.
Notes
- You can substitute dry white wine with chicken broth to keep the flavor milder or skip alcohol.
- For extra spice, increase the amount of red pepper flakes according to your taste.
- Reserve pasta water is key to adjusting the sauce consistency and helps the sauce cling to the pasta better.
- Use fresh shrimp if possible for the best flavor and texture.
- Garnishing with extra Parmesan and parsley adds a nice fresh finish and visual appeal.
