Description
A quick and comforting weeknight meal featuring shrimp and linguine in a simple garlic butter sauce with Parmesan cheese, ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8–10 ounces linguine pasta
- 1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add generous salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Add linguine to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the butter. Once foaming, add shrimp in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes per side until pink. Remove shrimp to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant and golden, stirring constantly.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet with the garlic butter. Toss well to coat. Add a splash of reserved pasta water (start with 1/4 cup) to help emulsify the sauce.
- Return cooked shrimp to the skillet. Remove from heat and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss vigorously until cheese melts and creates a creamy sauce.
- Squeeze in fresh lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
Use bronze-cut pasta for better sauce adherence. Thaw frozen shrimp under cold water and pat dry before cooking. Do not overcrowd the pan when searing shrimp to ensure proper browning. Reserve pasta water as it is essential for creating a creamy sauce. Garlic burns quickly, so keep heat at medium-low. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water; if too thin, cook for another minute.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: shrimp linguine, garlic butter pasta, quick dinner, weeknight meal, easy seafood recipe, 5-ingredient dinner, gluten-free option