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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    20 Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

    By Lily・Published:Jul 26, 2021・Updated: Jul 21, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    garlic butter shrimp pasta Pinterest pin

    This 20 minute garlic butter shrimp pasta is a spin-off of my favorite sautéed lemon garlic butter shrimp. This is a very lightly dressed pasta recipe, being that it's just the lemon garlic butter (from the sautéed shrimp), mixed with fresh spinach and grated parmesan cheese. If you like light pasta dishes and garlic butter shrimp, this one is for you.

    garlic shrimp pasta in a pot

    What I Love About This Recipe

    I love that this entire dish comes together in 15 minutes flat. It makes for an easy weeknight meal when things get busy. Not to mention, it's the perfect ratio of sautéed garlic butter shrimp, fresh spinach, grated parmesan, and angel hair pasta. I like that the sauce is simple and not over-powering, which means I don't feel sluggish after eating it.

    Ingredient Notes

    Pasta: I recommend using angel hair pasta for this garlic butter shrimp pasta recipe. The thin pasta cooks quickly and the thin pasta absorbs the light garlic butter sauce.

    angel hair pasta

    Pasta sauce: The light pasta sauce is a mixture of the lemon garlic butter (from the shrimp), fresh spinach, and grated parmesan cheese.

    grated parmesan and fresh spinach in a bowl

    Shrimp: The main part of this recipe is basically making sautéed lemon garlic butter shrimp (see ingredients below).

    ingredients laid out for lemon garlic butter shrimp

    See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

    How To Make Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

    This garlic butter shrimp pasta is quick weeknight meal that can be prepared in as little as 20 minutes. The key to making this shrimp pasta dish quickly is

    1. Boil the Pasta

    Boil a large pot of water. Add the angel hair pasta. Cook the pasta while preparing the shrimp. Once the pasta has finished cooking (about 5 to 7 minutes), remove 1 cup of the pasta water (to use in the sauce). Drain the angel hair pasta using a strainer and set aside.

    2. Prepare the Garlic Butter Shrimp

    Peel, devein, and pat dry the shrimp.

    peel and clean the shrimp
    pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel

    Mash the garlic with some salt. Alternatively, use a garlic press or finely mince the garlic with a chefs knife.

    add some salt and garlic to a bowl
    mash the garlic with a mortar and pestle

    In the nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and butter on high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Once the shrimp start to turn pink (after about 1 to 2 minutes), move the shrimp aside to add the mashed garlic. Flip the shrimp over one by one so the other side of the shrimp can cook. Squeeze the lemon on the shrimp.

    melt the butter and olive oil in a nonstick pan
    salt and pepper the shrimp in the pan
    turn the shrimp over in the pan
    squeeze lemon juice on top of the cooked shrimp

    Cover the skillet with a lid for 2 to 3 minutes for the shrimp to cook through.

    cover the pot so the shrimp can cook through

    3. Make the Shrimp Pasta

    Remove the shrimp from the skillet, keeping the garlic lemon butter in the pan. Add the fresh spinach and 1 cup of pasta water (the water the pasta was cooked in). Alternatively, use water or chicken broth.

    add fresh spinach to the lemon garlic butter
    wilt the spinach

    Add the cooked angel hair pasta and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

    add the cooked angel hair pasta
    add the freshly grated parmesan cheese

    Optional: Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and the juice from another lemon.

    Mix the pasta, shrimp, and freshly grated cheese together. Add some chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot.

    add the garlic shrimp to the pasta
    mix the angel hair pasta, parmesan cheese, and garlic shrimp together well

    Tips and Tricks

    • Kerrygold butter: This butter is very flavorful, bringing out the garlic butter sauce.
    • Use fresh garlic and freshly squeezed lemons. I'm a big fan of using fresh garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice for the garlic butter sauce since it's the main part of this dish.
    • High quality jumbo shrimp (or prawns): I don't recommend using small shrimp for this recipe because they have the habit of turning a little too rubbery if overcooked.
    close up of garlic shrimp pasta

    Variations and Substitutions

    • Substitute prawns for shrimp: Prawns are actually different from shrimp, but they are similar taste. Prawns remind me of a mix between a lobster and shrimp.
    • Add some chili flakes or freshly chopped pepper for spice: This dish is excellent with a little zing to it.
    • Add a heavier sauce: If you like a heavy sauce on your pasta, it's perfectly fine to add a béchamel pasta sauce, fettuccine sauce, or cream sauce.

    Equipment

    • Mortar and pestle for mashing the garlic (or a garlic press)
    • Large nonstick skillet with a lid
    • Large stovetop pot (for boiling the pasta)
    • Strainer (for straining the pasta from the water)

    Storage

    This garlic butter shrimp pasta is good for about 2 days in the fridge. I don't recommend freezing it.

    garlic lemon butter shrimp with angel hair pasta and spinach and parmesan in a pan

    Food Safety

    Make sure the shrimp is fully cooked through prior to serving. Shrimp is easy to tell if it's cooked through (by it's color). The shrimp should not be translucent and should be fully pink.

    Favorite Mediterranean Meals

    • The Best Spanakopita Pie
    • Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks In Foil Packets
    • Steelhead Trout with Garlic Lime Butter Sauce
    • Slow Roasted Crispy Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

    Pasta Recipes

    • Meatless Baked Ziti
    • Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
    • Ricotta and Sausage Baked Ziti
    • Slow Cooker Meat Spaghetti Sauce

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    close up view of garlic lemon butter shrimp pasta with parmesan and spinach

    20 Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

    Author: Lily
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Prep: 10 mins
    Cook: 10 mins
    Total: 20 mins
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 6
    This 20 minute lemon garlic butter shrimp pasta is made with angel hair pasta, homemade lemon garlic butter, and jumbo shrimp.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 1½ lbs Jumbo or large shrimp 680 grams
    • 16 ounces package of angel hair pasta
    • 5 to 6 cloves are garlic
    • 2 tablespoon of butter
    • 2 tablespoon of olive oil may add more to the pasta if desired
    • ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
    • 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
    • the juice from 2 lemons
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    Make the Pasta

    • In a large stovetop pot, fill with water. Bring to a boil. Add the angel hair pasta. 
    • Cook the angel hair pasta until tender (about 5 to 7 minutes). 
    • Remove a cup of water from the pasta water and set it aside.
    • Drain the pasta using a strainer.

    Make the Garlic Butter Shrimp

    • Peel, devein, and pat dry the shrimp.
    • Mash the garlic with some salt using a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, use a garlic press or finely mince the garlic using a chefs knife.
    • In a nonstick skillet on high heat, add the olive oil and butter. Place the shrimp in a single layer on the nonstick skillet. Once the shrimp starts to turn pink (after 1 to 2 minutes), move the shrimp over a little bit and add the mashed garlic to the pan.
    • Flip each shrimp over to the other side. Squeeze the lemon juice over the shrimp. Cover the nonstick skillet to cook through for 2 to 3 minutes.

    Make Shrimp Pasta

    • Remove the shrimp from the skillet. There should be a generous amount of lemon garlic butter in the pan still. On medium heat, add the fresh spinach and 1 cup of the pasta water. Cover and cook for about 1 minute until the spinach has wilted.
    • Add the cooked angel hair pasta, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and cooked garlic butter shrimp. 
    • Mix everything together well. Add some chopped parsley to garnish.

    Notes

    1. Substitute prawns for large shrimp.
    2. Use fresh garlic cloves and freshly squeezed lemons for the lemon garlic butter sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cups | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 245mg | Sodium: 780mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g

    More Ultimate Main Dishes For Lunch and Dinner

    • Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
    • Grilled Lamb Chops
    • Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
    • Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

    About Lily

    Howdy! My name Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. peg

      October 07, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      4 stars
      it is a nice recipe..but Italians never add parm or any cheese to fish! so leave out the parm!!!

      Reply
    2. Lesly

      August 28, 2021 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      It was a light pasta so I ended up adding more shredded Parmesan and some fresh basil leaves and olive oil. Quick to make and shrimp were full of flavor

      Reply
      • Lily

        August 28, 2021 at 12:21 pm

        Thanks for the comment!

        Reply

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