Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

There's something magical about the moment garlic hits hot butter—that sizzle and perfume that fills your kitchen and makes everyone pause mid-conversation. I stumbled onto this dish one weeknight when I had shrimp that needed using and a craving for something spicy and bright. Twenty minutes later, I had a pasta that tasted like I'd spent hours in the kitchen, but really I'd just let good ingredients do their thing.

I remember cooking this for my sister after she'd had a rough day at work—she walked in as I was tossing the shrimp with lemon and suddenly the whole mood shifted. She ate it standing at the counter and actually smiled for the first time that evening. That's when I realized this dish wasn't just dinner; it was a little edible comfort wrapped up in garlic and warmth.

Ingredients

• Spaghetti or linguine (350 g): Long, thin strands hold the sauce beautifully—save some of that starchy pasta water to loosen everything together at the end.
• Large raw shrimp (500 g), peeled and deveined: Don't skip the patting dry step or they'll steam instead of sear, and you want that golden kiss in the pan.
• Unsalted butter (4 tablespoons) and olive oil (3 tablespoons): This combination gives you rich flavor without the shrimp sticking, and the two fats balance each other beautifully.
• Garlic (5 cloves, finely minced): Mince it yourself if you can—fresh garlic transforms as it cooks, turning sweet and golden rather than bitter.
• Red chilies (1–2 small, deseeded and sliced) or red pepper flakes (1 teaspoon): Fresh chilies give you gentle heat and little pops of flavor; flakes are spicier and more uniform, so choose based on your mood.
• Lemon zest and juice: The zest adds brightness that juice alone can't capture, and both together keep the whole dish from feeling heavy.
• Fresh parsley (1/4 cup, chopped): Stir most of it in at the end so it stays vibrant and herbaceous, not cooked to submission.

Instructions

Boil the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook your pasta to al dente according to the package—it should still have a slight resistance when you bite it. Reserve about half a cup of the starchy cooking water before draining; this liquid gold is your safety net if the dish needs loosening.

Prep the shrimp:

Pat each shrimp completely dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear, so don't rush this step.

Build the sauce base:

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil until it's foaming gently. Add the minced garlic and sliced chilies, letting them cook for about a minute until the kitchen smells absolutely incredible but before anything starts to brown.

Sear the shrimp:

Lay the shrimp in a single layer in the pan and resist the urge to move them for the first minute—you want them to turn pink and just barely opaque on one side before flipping. One to two minutes per side is all they need; overcooked shrimp turns rubbery and sad.

Brighten with citrus:

Add the lemon zest and juice to the pan, stirring gently so every shrimp gets kissed with that sharp, clean flavor. The acid will also help balance the richness of the butter.

Toss it all together:

Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the shrimp and sauce, then toss and turn everything for a minute or two so every strand gets coated. If it looks too thick, add your reserved pasta water a splash at a time until it flows like you want it to.

Finish and serve:

Stir in most of the chopped parsley, taste the whole thing, and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if you think it needs it. Serve immediately on warm plates with extra parsley, a handful of Parmesan, and lemon wedges on the side.

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The first time a friend asked for the recipe, I realized I'd been writing it down in my head all along—just never on paper. There's something special about dishes that live in your hands and muscle memory instead of a notebook.

Why This Pasta Works

The beauty of this dish is in its simplicity—there's nowhere for mediocre ingredients to hide, so everything matters. The shrimp becomes tender and sweet, the garlic dissolves into the butter until it's almost a sauce by itself, and the chili adds just enough edge to make your palate stay interested. It's the kind of dinner that feels like you've shared something real with the people eating it.

How to Make It Your Own

Once you understand the bones of this recipe, you can play with it endlessly. I've made it with scallops when shrimp weren't available, added a splash of white wine for richness, and even thrown in a handful of spinach toward the end because it was there. The core—the garlic-chili butter, the lemon, the pasta—stays solid, but everything else bends to what you have and what you're craving that day.

Make It Your Moment

This isn't a restaurant dish you're trying to replicate—it's something you make when you want to feel a little clever in the kitchen without stress. It's fast enough for a Tuesday night but special enough for someone you want to impress. Cook it when you need something to go right, because this one usually does.

• Fresh lemon is non-negotiable, but bottled juice works in a pinch if that's all you have.
• Cooking the shrimp in their seasoning rather than adding it at the end means every bite tastes intentional.
• Serve this with crusty bread to soak up every bit of that garlic-butter sauce—it's too good to waste.

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This is one of those recipes that comes together faster than the conversation around the table, which is exactly how it should be. Make it, share it, and watch what happens.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ How do I prevent shrimp from overcooking?

Cook shrimp briefly until they turn pink and opaque, usually 1-2 minutes per side, to keep them tender and juicy.

→ Can I use other types of pasta?

Yes, linguine or other long, thin pasta work well to hold the garlic-chili butter sauce and shrimp.

→ How can I adjust the spiciness of this dish?

Increase chili slices or add red pepper flakes or cayenne to suit your preferred heat level.

→ What is the best way to keep the sauce silky?

Reserve some pasta water before draining and add it gradually to the skillet to loosen and emulsify the sauce.

→ Are there suitable garnishes for this meal?

Fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, and lemon wedges complement the flavors and add brightness.