One-Pan Zesty Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta: Your New Weeknight Favorite!

One-Pan Zesty Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta: Your New Weeknight Favorite!

Craving a restaurant-quality meal without all the fuss? This Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta delivers incredible flavor in under 30 minutes, making it the perfect solution for busy weeknights. Juicy shrimp, tender pasta, and a rich garlic butter sauce come together to create a dish your whole family will adore, with minimal cleanup!

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

• 8 oz linguine or spaghetti
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook linguine or spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and black pepper.
3. In a large skillet or non-stick pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the seasoned shrimp to the hot skillet in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Remove the cooked shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
6. Pour in the chicken broth and fresh lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
7. Add the cooked pasta and the cooked shrimp back into the skillet. Toss everything together to coat the pasta and shrimp in the garlic butter sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta cooking water until it reaches your desired consistency.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
9. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley before serving hot.

Chef's Tip

For the best flavor and texture, avoid overcooking the shrimp. They cook very quickly, so remove them from the pan as soon as they turn pink and opaque, even if you think they might be slightly undercooked, as they will continue to cook a bit with the residual heat.