Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable)
A zesty dish featuring shrimp sautéed with garlic, tossed with spinach and lemon sauce for a quick meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
02 - 1 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water)
→ Shrimp
03 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - ½ tsp kosher salt
05 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Sauce & Vegetables
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach
10 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
11 - ¼ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
13 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Lemon wedges for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and lightly golden. Transfer shrimp to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add garlic and red pepper flakes if using. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add fresh spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute.
06 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and broth. Let simmer for 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits.
07 - Reduce heat to low and stir in butter until melted.
08 - Add drained pasta and cooked shrimp to the skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
09 - Stir in Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lemon juice as desired.
10 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley, extra Parmesan, and lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under thirty minutes without sacrificing that restaurant-quality feel.
- The sauce is silky and bright at the same time, clinging to every strand of pasta in the best way.
- Shrimp cooks so fast it forces you to stay present and actually enjoy the cooking process.
02 -
- Overcooking shrimp by even a minute makes them rubbery and tight; they only need about a minute per side to turn opaque and pink.
- Don't drain your pasta water and throw it away—that starchy liquid is what transforms a good sauce into a silky one that actually clings to the noodles.
- Taste as you go with seasoning; lemon juice, salt, and heat all work together, and what tastes bright enough hot tastes flat once it cools on the plate.
03 -
- Buy shrimp the day you're cooking and store them on ice in the coldest part of your fridge; frozen shrimp work fine, but truly fresh shrimp cook more evenly.
- The pasta water is magic—a little starch mixed with butter and lemon juice becomes a sauce that tastes intentional, not thin or watery.