Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

This 15-minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is an irresistible combination of tender shrimp, al dente pasta, and flavorful garlic butter sauce. Follow this simple recipe to create an effortless meal that blends the best of seafood and pasta into a delicious dish the whole family will love.

Course Main Course

Cuisine North 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
½ cup boiling water
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
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 1- 2 minutes until both outsides of the shrimp are 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

Ingredient notes & substitutions

Shrimp should be peeled, and I prefer to remove the tail for easy eating. You can use raw or pre-cooked shrimp.
Butter and olive oil: you can use just one of them as well, just double the amount. Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral cooking oil.
Fresh lemon juice: don't use the bottled kind. If you don't have any, better to go for white wine vinegar instead.
Pasta: spaghetti or any other long pasta type like angel hair or tagliatelle
Chili flakes can be omitted to keep it mild, or use more/less for a more/less spicy version
Chicken stock cube & water can be swapped for homemade chicken stock in the same amount as the water

Tips & tricks

Don't allow the garlic to brown - you want a soft, nice, garlic flavor
Don't overcook the shrimp - they're done as soon as they are pink and opaque through, and they will keep cooking after you add the pasta and sauce
Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days
Reheat leftoves in the microwave in 1 minute increments
I don't recommend freezing leftovers as the consistency of the sauce will be ruined

Nutrition