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Quick Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

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A fast and comforting weeknight dinner featuring seared shrimp in a rich garlic butter and cream sauce, tossed with al dente pasta. This recipe uses simple pantry staples to create a restaurant-quality meal in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) dried linguine or fettuccine
  • 1 pound (450 grams) large, peeled, and deveined shrimp
  • 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 to 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Reserved starchy pasta water

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water.
  2. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear shrimp in a single layer for 1-2 minutes per side until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in white wine and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce.
  6. Reduce heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and stir gently to warm through for about 1 minute. Do not boil.
  7. Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
  8. Remove pan from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice until melted and smooth.
  9. Return shrimp to the pan and add parsley. Toss to combine and adjust seasoning to taste.
  10. Serve immediately, topped with extra parsley and black pepper.

Notes

Do not overcrowd the pan when searing shrimp to ensure a good sear rather than steaming. Always reserve pasta water; the starch helps emulsify the sauce. Keep heat low when adding cream to prevent breaking. Remove from heat before adding cheese to avoid a greasy mess. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.

Nutrition

Keywords: shrimp pasta, creamy garlic butter pasta, quick weeknight dinner, easy seafood recipe, garlic shrimp, pasta with cream sauce

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