12-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

Quick garlic butter shrimp pasta with tender shrimp in a lemony, garlicky sauce, tossed with spaghetti. Ready in 12 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian-American

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 10

Total Time 12

Servings

Calories 463kcal

Author Emmeline Kemperyd

Equipment

Ingredients

2 servings pasta reserve the pasta cooking water
¼ cup pasta cooking water
½ lb jumbo shrimp peeled, raw or pre-cooked - see note for using frozen shrimp
½ cup boiling water or use homemade chicken broth and skip the stock cube
¼ chicken stock cube
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon fine table salt
¼ teaspoon paprika powder
¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes or more or less, according to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup chopped parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a large pot in heavily salted water, until al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water before you drain it.
2 servings pasta
While the pasta is cooking, start the shrimp. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the boiling water and set aside for now.
½ cup boiling water, ¼ chicken stock cube
Heat and melt butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon olive oil
When the butter is melted, add minced garlic. Sauté 1 minute without the garlic browning, lower the heat if necessary.
2 garlic cloves
Add the chicken stock, salt, paprika powder, chili flakes and black pepper. Simmer 2 minutes until thickened.
¼ teaspoon paprika powder, ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon fine table salt
Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes per side, until the outside of the shrimp is pink (if using raw shrimp), or 1 minute per side if using pre-cooked shrimp.
½ lb jumbo shrimp
Turn off the heat and mix in lemon juice and parsley. Mix well!
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, ¼ cup chopped parsley
Add pasta and pasta cooking water, toss to coat, and simmer 1 minute. Then serve.
¼ cup pasta cooking water

Video

Notes

How to Make This With Frozen Shrimp

It's best to thaw the shrimp slowly first, but if you don't have time you can also add them frozen straight to the pan. They will take a bit longer to cook, and the sauce will be a bit more watery as the frozen shrimp release water, but it's still very good and great if you forgot to defrost the shrimp. Just add them when the recipe says to add the shrimp, and cook until fully pink on the outside (if using frozen, raw shrimp) or heated through (if using frozen, pre-cooked shrimp).

Keep in mind that frozen shrimp can cook a bit unevenly as they thaw, so the texture might not be as good and they might be overcooked in spots.

Don't let the garlic brown - you want a soft, nice, garlic flavor.

Don't overcook the shrimp - they're done as soon as they are pink on the outside, and if not they will keep cooking after you add the pasta and sauce

What to Do with Leftovers

This pasta is best eaten straight away, as the texture of the shrimp will not be as good after reheating. But, I still keep the leftovers because I hate throwing away food - they're fine, just not as good.

Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing leftovers as the texture of the shrimp and consistency of the sauce will not hold up well.

Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1-minute increments.

Nutrition