Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine (Printable)

Succulent shrimp in garlic butter sauce with al dente linguine. An elegant, simple Italian-American pasta dish ready in 25 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz linguine pasta

→ Sauce

03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
05 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

→ Finishing

09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
11 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, but not browned.
04 - Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through.
05 - Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Add the drained linguine and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to loosen the sauce.
06 - Remove from heat and toss in the chopped parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-quality flavor in under half an hour, perfect for those nights when you crave elegance without the fuss.
  • The garlic butter sauce clings to every strand of pasta, creating that satisfying twirl-and-slurp moment with each forkful.
  • Shrimp cook so fast you can have dinner on the table before takeout would even arrive.
  • It uses simple pantry staples transformed by fresh lemon and parsley into something that feels special.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; I learned this the hard way when my sauce broke into a greasy puddle because I had nothing to emulsify it.
  • Overcooking shrimp turns them rubbery and sad, so pull them off the heat the moment they turn opaque, they'll finish cooking in the residual heat.
  • If your garlic starts to brown too fast, pull the skillet off the burner for 30 seconds; burned garlic is bitter and will ruin the whole dish.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the skillet so those fragrant oils fall straight into the sauce, nothing wasted.
  • If your shrimp release a lot of liquid in the pan, remove them temporarily and let the liquid evaporate before adding the lemon and pasta, otherwise your sauce will be watery.
  • Warm your serving bowls in a low oven for a few minutes before plating; it keeps the pasta hot longer and makes the whole experience feel restaurant-special.
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