Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta (Printable)
Succulent shrimp and angel hair pasta tossed in a fragrant garlic butter lemon sauce for an easy weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz angel hair pasta
→ Sauce
03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
06 - ¼ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
07 - 1 lemon, juiced and zested
08 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the angel hair pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the drained pasta aside.
02 - Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry with paper towels to ensure a good sear. Season both sides lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. Arrange the shrimp in a single even layer and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side until they turn pink and become opaque throughout. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté the thinly sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let the garlic brown.
05 - Pour in the dry white wine or chicken broth along with the lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid simmer and reduce for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest.
06 - Return the seared shrimp to the skillet and toss gently to coat evenly in the garlic butter sauce.
07 - Add the cooked angel hair pasta to the skillet along with splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce reaches a silky consistency.
08 - Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice as desired.
09 - Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with chopped fresh parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce clings to every strand of angel hair like it was meant to be there and nothing else matters.
- It looks and tastes like a dish from a coastal Italian trattoria but the ingredient list is short and the technique is forgiving.
02 -
- If the garlic turns dark brown it will taste bitter so pull the pan off the heat the moment you see it start to color.
- Saving that pasta water is not optional because it is the magic ingredient that turns butter and wine into an actual sauce.
03 -
- Dry shrimp are happy shrimp so never skip the paper towel step because moisture is the enemy of a golden sear.
- Grate your Parmesan fresh from the block because the pre shredded kind contains anti caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.