Description
A delightful and zesty lemon shrimp pasta recipe that’s quick and easy to make. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion, this dish is bursting with flavors of garlic, lemon, and Parmesan cheese, all tossed with succulent shrimp and pasta.
Ingredients
Spaghetti or Linguine:
12 ounces
Large Shrimp (peeled and deveined):
1 pound
Olive Oil:
2 tablespoons
Unsalted Butter:
3 tablespoons
Garlic (minced):
4 cloves
Red Pepper Flakes (optional):
½ teaspoon
Zest of 1 Lemon:
Fresh Lemon Juice:
¼ cup (about 2 lemons)
Grated Parmesan Cheese:
½ cup
Chopped Fresh Parsley:
¼ cup
Salt and Black Pepper:
to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the rest and set pasta aside.
- Cook the shrimp: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add shrimp in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2–3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, then return shrimp to the skillet. Add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan cheese. Toss everything together until the sauce lightly coats the pasta.
- Finish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Add a handful of baby spinach or halved cherry tomatoes for extra color and nutrition.
- You can use angel hair pasta for a lighter texture or substitute chicken if preferred.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 195mg
