Creamy Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is easy to make and never disappoints! It is made in one pot in under 30 minutes, and the creamy buttery lemon garlic sauce is loaded with rich and bright flavors.
Jump to:
- Why you will love this Shrimp Lemon Garlic Pasta
- Ingredients And Notes
- How to make Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
- How to store creamy shrimp pasta
- What to serve with Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta:
- Is shrimp healthy?
- What Size Shrimp Should I Use For This Pasta?
- Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
Why you will love this Shrimp Lemon Garlic Pasta
This shrimp pasta is going to be your new favorite one-pot meal! Cooking with shrimp is great because they cook so quickly and are tender and sweet. They are also a very healthy protein choice and add lots of yummy flavor to a dish.
This shrimp pasta dish takes under 30 minutes to make, which makes it great for a quick and easy midweek meal. The ingredients are simple pantry staples that produce a restaurant-quality meal that everyone will love.
Another easy delicious and healthy pasta dish to try is my Avocado Pesto Pasta!
Ingredients And Notes
The ingredients for this easy pasta dish are easy to find and they combine to create a dish that is full of flavor and will keep you wanting more. (Full recipe & ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card below.)
What you will need:
- Shrimp / Prawns: Fresh or frozen shrimp can be used, they just need to be peeled and deveined. If using frozen shrimp, thaw the shrimp overnight and pat dry with paper towels before cooking.
- Butter: Adds a rich buttery flavor to the dish and brings the creamy cheese and lemon sauce together.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best for this recipe.
- Cream: Heavy cream is the base for the creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
- Lemon juice: Adds a zesty fresh flavor to balance out the richness of the sauce.
- Fresh parsley: For some delicious fresh herb flavor. If you don't have any fresh parsley you can use dried parsley, but I highly recommend using fresh!
- Spices: Salt & pepper, and paprika (sweet or smokey).
- Parmesan cheese: This flavorful cheese adds yummy richness and saltiness to the dish. Freshly grated parmesan is best!
- Pasta: I used Fettuccini, but you can use whichever kind you prefer or have available. Linguine, Spaghetti, Tagliatelle, or Pappardelle all work well.
How to make Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
This is an easy recipe to make using simple ingredients. You will love the end result and how quick it was to make!
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP ONE
Cook the pasta. Cook your pasta according to packaging instructions until al dente and reserve ¾ cup of the pasta water for later use.
STEP TWO
Prepare shrimp. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
STEP THREE
Cook shrimp. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 - 4 minutes and then remove from the skillet. Set aside.
STEP FOUR
Cook the garlic. Add the remaining oil and butter to the skillet. Once heated, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
STEP FIVE
Add lemon juice. Pour in the lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until the lemon juice reduces by about half.
STEP SIX
Make the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water and cream. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the parmesan cheese and allow the sauce to thicken, this should take about 2 minutes.
STEP SEVEN
Assemble the dish. Add the shrimp and pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve the pasta warm with optional garnishes such as lemon slices, fresh chopped parsley, or extra grated parmesan cheese.
How to store creamy shrimp pasta
This creamy shrimp pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen in an airtight container or bag for up to 6 months.
To heat up any leftovers, add the pasta to a skillet over medium heat on the stove-top. To prevent the creamy sauce from curdling, stir it well when reheating it. Add additional milk or cream if your sauce is breaking or if you need to thin it out.
What to serve with Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta:
- Your favorite salad. I like to serve my pasta with a fresh green salad.
- Crusty fresh bread. Delicious to soak up the yummy cream and butter sauce.
- Spicy potato wedges. The crunchy, spicy potato contrasts and complements the creamy pasta perfectly.
- Classic focaccia bread. Warm and herby - a delicious companion to creamy pasta.
Is shrimp healthy?
Shrimp or prawns are very healthy ingredients to cook with. Shrimp have many health benefits. They are an excellent source of protein and vitamin D, which is essential for calcium and magnesium absorption.
They are also high in zinc which helps your body to regulate fat storage and use of energy. Shrimp contains Iodine which supports your thyroid gland and helps with your body’s energy levels.
Shrimps/prawns contain many beneficial minerals and vitamins essential for heart health, healthy hair and skin, and bone health like phosphorous, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids.
What Size Shrimp Should I Use For This Pasta?
You can use any size of raw shrimp you’d like for this pasta recipe. I like to use 12-15 count shrimp, but use whatever you have available to you or what you most prefer- it won't impact the final results of the recipe.
For another delicious creamy pasta recipe, try our Pink Sauce Creamy Pasta recipe or Creamy One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon!
Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
Creamy Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is easy to make but never disappoints. It is made using one pot in under 30 minutes, and the creamy buttery lemon garlic sauce is loaded with rich and bright flavors.
Ingredients
- 300g fettuccine (or any preferred pasta)
- 400g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp butter (divided)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta. Cook your pasta until al dente and reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water for later use.
2. Season shrimp. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
3. Cook shrimp. Heat half the oil and butter in a skillet over a high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 - 4 minutes and then remove from the skillet.
4. Cook the garlic. Add the remaining oil and butter to the skillet. Once heated, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add lemon juice. Pour in the lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until the lemon juice reduces by half.
6. Make the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water and cream. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.
7. Add the parmesan. Stir in the parmesan cheese and allow to thicken, about 2 minutes.
8. Assemble the dish. Add the shrimp and pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.
9. Serve. Serve the dish warm with optional garnishes such as lemon slices, fresh chopped parsley, or extra grated parmesan cheese.
I hope you love this Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta recipe as much as I do! And if you want to see more of my delicious food adventures, follow me on Instagram or Facebook.
