Description
A quick, 20-minute weeknight dinner featuring golden, crispy pan-seared shrimp tossed with pasta in a bright garlic, lemon, and white wine butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450 grams) dry pasta (linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair)
- 1 pound (450 grams) large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) or chicken broth
- 1 large lemon (zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While water boils, pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once butter foams, add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1-2 minutes per side until golden pink. Remove shrimp to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Once melted, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Pour in white wine (or broth) and lemon juice. Scrape up browned bits from the pan bottom. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss with tongs to coat in sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to emulsify the sauce.
- Return crispy shrimp to the pan. Add lemon zest and most of the parsley. Toss gently. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Plate immediately. Top with remaining parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve hot.
Notes
Pat shrimp very dry before cooking to ensure crispiness. Do not overcrowd the pan when searing shrimp; cook in batches if necessary. Garlic burns easily, so keep heat at medium during sautéing. Reserve pasta water for the sauce. Do not freeze this dish as pasta becomes mushy and shrimp loses texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate per serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 75
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: shrimp scampi, crispy shrimp, pasta recipe, 20 minute dinner, weeknight meals, garlic butter pasta, easy seafood, lemon pasta