Tulo

One-Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Searing the shrimp first and building the garlic butter sauce in the same skillet means the sauce comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil, so the whole meal lands on the table in under 30 minutes with only one pan to wash.

Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3/4 tsp salt

Nutrition per serving

Calories
636
Protein
38g
Carbs
66g
Fat
25g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
  2. 2While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
  3. 3Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque throughout. Transfer to a plate.
  4. 4Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30-45 seconds, until fragrant.
  5. 5Pour in the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  6. 6Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, adding more reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce looks dry or tight.
  7. 7Return the shrimp to the skillet along with any juices that collected on the plate, and toss to combine.
  8. 8Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parmesan and parsley. Season with the remaining salt to taste.
  9. 9Serve immediately, with extra parmesan and a lemon wedge on the side.

Tips & variations

  • Swap the shrimp for a pound of thinly sliced chicken breast or bay scallops; both cook in roughly the same amount of time.
  • Stir in a handful of baby spinach or halved cherry tomatoes in step 5 for extra vegetables without adding to the cook time.
  • For a lighter sauce, cut the butter to 2 tablespoons and make up the difference with an extra tablespoon of olive oil.

Storage & reheating

Store leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce; shrimp toughens fast in the microwave, so stovetop reheating gives a better texture.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Buying shrimp already peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen and thawed) removes the slowest part of this recipe's prep.
  • Salting the pasta water until it tastes like seawater is the only real chance to season the noodles themselves, since the sauce only coats them briefly before serving.

FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?

Yes. Thaw under cold running water for about 10 minutes and pat the shrimp very dry before searing; wet shrimp will steam instead of browning.

What pasta shape works best?

Long noodles like linguine or spaghetti hold the garlic butter sauce especially well, but any shape already in the pantry will work fine.

Can I make this ahead of time?

It's best served fresh, since shrimp continue to firm up as they sit, but leftovers reheat acceptably within a couple of days.

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