Description
A quick and easy weeknight dinner featuring tender shrimp in a rich, creamy garlic butter sauce served over pasta. Ready in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and devein shrimp if needed, pat dry. Mince garlic and chop parsley. Measure liquids and grate Parmesan.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, cook 1.5-2 minutes per side until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and white wine (if using). Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in heavy cream, simmer 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens. Add reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese slowly until melted. Add lemon juice and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Add cooked pasta and shrimp back to skillet. Toss gently to coat with sauce. Add more pasta water if needed for a silky consistency.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley, Parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Use fresh garlic and lemon juice for best flavor. Pat shrimp dry to ensure proper searing. Remove pan from heat before adding Parmesan to avoid grainy sauce. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Optional white wine adds depth but can be replaced with broth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 32
Keywords: shrimp scampi, creamy shrimp pasta, garlic butter shrimp, easy weeknight dinner, quick shrimp recipe, pasta with shrimp, creamy garlic sauce