Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine (Printable)

Tender shrimp tossed in garlic butter sauce with perfectly cooked linguine. An easy, elegant pasta dish ready in just 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

# 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 - 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. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in under half an hour, making it perfect for weeknights when you want something special without the fuss.
  • The garlic butter sauce clings to every strand of pasta, creating that restaurant quality finish you crave at home.
  • Shrimp cook so fast that you can have this on the table before takeout would even arrive.
  • It feels elegant enough for guests but easy enough to make on autopilot after a long day.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and the sauce was too thick and oily without that starchy liquid to balance it.
  • If your garlic burns even a little, it turns bitter and ruins the whole dish, so watch it closely and keep the heat at medium.
  • Overcrowding the pan makes shrimp steam instead of sear, so if you are doubling the recipe, cook them in two batches.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the pan, the oils release right into the sauce and the flavor is so much brighter.
  • Toss the hot pasta in the skillet off the heat for thirty seconds before serving, it gives the noodles time to really drink in the garlic butter.
  • Buy shrimp that still have their tails on if you want a prettier presentation, just warn your guests before they dig in.
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