Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine (Printable)

Tender shrimp in a fragrant garlic butter sauce, perfectly paired with silky linguine pasta. An elegant dish in under 30 minutes.

# What You 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 Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes like a fancy dinner out but takes less time than waiting for delivery.
  • The garlic butter sauce clings to every strand of pasta, making each bite ridiculously satisfying.
  • You can pull this together on a weeknight without feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
  • The lemon brightens everything and makes the shrimp taste even sweeter.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the shrimp, wet shrimp steam instead of sear and you lose that golden edge.
  • Reserve pasta water before you drain, I forgot once and had to add plain water, which made the sauce thin and sad.
  • Pull the shrimp off the heat the second they turn pink, they keep cooking in the hot pan and overcooked shrimp taste like erasers.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the shrimp aren't crowded, they need space to sear properly instead of steaming.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, if it's not salty enough, your pasta will taste flat no matter how much you season later.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet with the heat off, it keeps the sauce silky without breaking it.
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