Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine (Printable)

Succulent shrimp sautéed in garlic butter, tossed with al dente linguine. An elegant, easy 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 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
05 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 2 tablespoons 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

# Steps:

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 - 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.

# Chef’s Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout, and you probably already have most of what you need.
  • The garlic butter clings to every strand of pasta, and the shrimp stay tender and sweet if you don't overcook them.
  • Cleanup is shockingly easy for something that tastes this indulgent.
02 -
  • Shrimp go from perfectly cooked to rubbery in less than a minute, so pull them off the heat as soon as they turn opaque and curl.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce stick instead of sliding off like plain water would.
  • If your garlic starts to brown too fast, pull the pan off the heat for a few seconds and keep stirring, it'll stop cooking immediately.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the shrimp aren't crowded, or cook them in two batches if you need to, they'll sear instead of steam.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, trust me, trying to zest a squeezed lemon is miserable and you'll end up with half the flavor.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, if it's not as salty as the sea, your pasta will be bland no matter how much you season later.
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