Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable)

Succulent shrimp with garlic, lemon, spinach, and pasta come together for a bright, satisfying dish.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 14 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Vegetables

03 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach
04 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
05 - 1 small lemon, zest and juice

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Fats & Liquids

09 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side, until just opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil and butter. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted (about 1-2 minutes).
06 - Return shrimp to skillet. Add lemon zest and juice. Toss to combine.
07 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the sauce lightly coats the pasta.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon as desired. Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley if using.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon-garlic butter sauce clings to every strand like it belongs there, turning simple pasta into something you'd order at a nice Italian spot.
  • Everything happens in one pan while the pasta cooks, making it perfect for those nights when you want restaurant food without restaurant effort.
  • The brightness of fresh lemon cuts through the richness, so you never feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery faster than you'd expect—remove them the moment they turn pink and opaque, even if they seem slightly underdone.
  • The pasta water is absolutely essential, so don't forget to reserve it before draining, or your sauce will never achieve that restaurant-quality cling.
  • Garlic burns in thirty seconds flat, so have your spinach ready to throw in immediately after adding garlic to the pan.
03 -
  • Room temperature shrimp cook more evenly than cold ones, so let them sit out for fifteen minutes before starting.
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest—it catches only the bright yellow part without any bitter pith, and melts invisibly into the sauce.

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