Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine

My neighbor knocked on the door one Tuesday evening holding a bag of shrimp she couldn't use before leaving town. I had linguine in the pantry, garlic always on hand, and twenty minutes before I needed to pick up my daughter from practice. What started as a salvage mission turned into the kind of dinner that makes everyone pause mid-bite and ask what you did differently. I didn't do anything differently, I just paid attention.

I made this for my book club last spring when it was my turn to host and I'd completely forgotten until that morning. Nobody believed me when I confessed I'd thrown it together in under half an hour. One friend took the recipe home on a napkin. The lemon brightens everything just enough that it feels special without trying too hard, and the parsley adds that fresh green note that makes it feel less like desperation and more like intention.

Ingredients

• Large shrimp, peeled and deveined (1 lb): The backbone of the dish, look for shrimp that smell like the ocean, not fishy, and if they're still a bit wet, pat them completely dry or they'll steam instead of getting that light sear.
• Linguine pasta (12 oz): The flat shape holds onto the butter sauce better than round spaghetti, and cooking it just to al dente means it finishes perfectly when you toss it in the skillet.
• Unsalted butter (4 tbsp): This creates the silky base of the sauce, and using unsalted lets you control the seasoning since shrimp and pasta water both add salt.
• Extra virgin olive oil (2 tbsp): Mixing it with butter raises the smoke point so the garlic won't burn, plus it adds a fruity depth that butter alone doesn't have.
• Garlic, minced (6 cloves): The star aromatic, mince it fine so it melts into the sauce, and watch it like a hawk because burnt garlic turns bitter fast.
• Crushed red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp, optional): Just enough to wake up the back of your throat without making it spicy, you can skip it entirely if you're cooking for kids.
• Lemon zest and juice (1 lemon): The zest gives you bright citrus oil and the juice cuts through the richness, zest before you juice or you'll be wrestling a slippery lemon.
• Fresh parsley, chopped (1/4 cup): Not just a garnish, it adds a grassy freshness that balances all the butter, use flat leaf if you can find it.
• Salt and black pepper: Season in layers, a little on the shrimp, a little in the sauce, taste before serving.
• Parmesan cheese, grated (optional): Some people love it on seafood pasta, some think it's wrong, I'm in the love it camp but I always serve it on the side.

Instructions

Boil the pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it generously until it tastes like the sea, then add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until it still has a slight bite in the center. Before draining, scoop out half a cup of that starchy pasta water, it's liquid gold for bringing the sauce together.

Prep the shrimp:

While the pasta bubbles away, lay the shrimp on a paper towel and pat them completely dry, then sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Dry shrimp sear instead of steam, and that makes all the difference in texture.

Sauté the aromatics:

Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil, swirling until the butter melts and starts to foam. Toss in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for about a minute until the kitchen smells incredible but the garlic hasn't taken on any color.

Cook the shrimp:

Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the skillet, letting them sit undisturbed for two minutes until the bottoms turn pink and opaque. Flip each one and cook another two minutes on the other side, they should curl into a loose C shape, not a tight O.

Add brightness:

Stir in the lemon zest and juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for just a few seconds so the raw lemon edge cooks off.

Toss the pasta:

Add the drained linguine directly to the skillet and toss everything together with tongs, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats each strand without pooling at the bottom. The starch in that water helps the butter cling instead of sliding off.

Finish and serve:

Pull the skillet off the heat and toss in the chopped parsley, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve it straight from the pan onto warm plates, passing Parmesan at the table for anyone who wants it.

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The first time my husband made this for me, he used twice the garlic because he thought I'd written the amount wrong. It was so garlicky we could barely taste the shrimp, but we laughed through the whole meal and opened all the windows. Now he still uses extra garlic, just not that much extra, and it's become his signature move. Some mistakes are worth keeping.

How to Choose the Best Shrimp

Fresh shrimp should smell clean and briny, never fishy or like ammonia. If you're buying frozen, look for shrimp that are individually quick frozen without added sodium or preservatives, just shrimp. I've had better luck with frozen wild caught shrimp than fresh farmed ones that have been sitting on ice for days. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of cold water for twenty minutes, never in the microwave.

What to Serve Alongside

A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette echoes the brightness of the pasta without competing with it. Garlic bread feels redundant since the dish is already rich and garlicky, but a crusty baguette for soaking up extra sauce is always welcome. I like roasted asparagus or blistered green beans on the side when I want vegetables, both take about the same time as the pasta and use the oven I'm not already using.

Make It Your Own

Once you've made this the straight way a couple times, it's easy to riff on. A splash of white wine added after the garlic blooms adds complexity and acidity. Cherry tomatoes halved and tossed in with the shrimp bring sweetness and color. Spinach or arugula wilts right into the hot pasta at the end if you want more greens without making a separate side.

• Try swapping the linguine for angel hair if you want something more delicate, just watch it closely because it cooks faster.
• Add a pinch of saffron to the butter for a subtle floral note and a gorgeous golden color.
• If you don't eat seafood, this same method works beautifully with chicken cut into bite sized pieces, just give it a few extra minutes to cook through.

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This is the kind of dish that makes you look like you know what you're doing in the kitchen, even on nights when you're just winging it. Keep the ingredients on hand and you'll always have an answer when someone asks what's for dinner.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I prevent the garlic from burning?

Keep the heat at medium and watch carefully when sautéing garlic. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, then immediately add the shrimp. If the garlic begins to brown, remove the skillet from heat momentarily to prevent bitterness.

→ Can I prepare this ahead of time?

The components can be prepped in advance—peel and devein shrimp, mince garlic, and zest lemon ahead. However, the dish is best served immediately after cooking as pasta texture deteriorates when left sitting in sauce.

→ What should I do if the sauce is too thick?

Reserved pasta water is key to achieving the right consistency. Add it gradually while tossing the linguine with the sauce until you reach your desired thickness. The starch in pasta water helps emulsify the sauce.

→ How do I know when shrimp is cooked through?

Shrimp cooks quickly and turns from gray to pink when done. Cook for approximately 2 minutes per side until the shrimp is opaque and firm to the touch. Overcooking makes shrimp tough and rubbery.

→ Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, thaw frozen shrimp completely and pat dry before cooking. Excess moisture prevents proper searing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or place in cold water for 30 minutes for best results.

→ What wine pairs best with this dish?

Crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio complement the bright lemon and garlic flavors beautifully. A dry white wine can also be added to the skillet before the shrimp for additional depth.