This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti is an easy and quick pasta dish for the weekday menu. Savory, succulent shrimp sizzling in a garlic butter sauce paired with light and airy spaghetti. It’s a family favorite that I can usually whip up in 15 minutes.
RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
How to make garlic shrimp spaghetti
- Cook the shrimp with salt and red pepper flakes in butter until cooked through.
- Flip the shrimp to the other side to finish cooking, then remove the shrimp and set aside.
- Cook the remaining garlic and butter in the same skillet, along with the lemon juice, pasta water (reserved from cooking the pasta) and parmesan cheese. Use a whisk to combine the sauce and scrape up any bits from the shrimp.
- Add in the cooked spaghetti on top of the sauce.
- Toss to combine until the sauce coats the spaghetti well.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet, and garnish with parsley before serving.
Tips for making the recipe
- Cook the pasta al-dente. That’s because you’ll be tossing it with the sauce and shrimp for a couple minutes after it’s done cooking and you want to make sure it doesn’t get too soggy.
- Thaw and dry frozen shrimp before cooking. I prefer to buy frozen shrimp, so after I thaw it, I always make sure to dab it dry so the excess moisture doesn’t affect searing the shrimp properly.
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. They only require a few minutes of cooking and if you over cook them they will get chewy. Cook until they are opaque pink in color.
- Use milk instead of pasta water for a more creamy texture. I prefer keeping it light with the lemon juice and pasta water because the garlic and butter give it great flavor. But milk is a great option as well!
Frequently asked questions
I like making this dish with long pasta such as spaghetti or linguini, but you can use whatever you have to hand. Penne and shells would both work well. Use a whole grain pasta for extra fiber and to lower the calorie content.
A healthy portion of this pasta dish is a great meal by itself, but I like to serve a smaller portion alongside a fresh caesar salad. If you’d like, try my olive oil garlic bread with it too!
This pasta is best served straight out of the pan. If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy the next day.
This garlic shrimp with spaghetti is such a great recipe for a quick and easy weeknight meal. It’s family friendly and packed full of flavor!
More pasta recipes:
- Easy Baked Spaghetti
- Baked Pasta with Ground Turkey
- Arrabiata Pasta with Shrimp
- Healthy Shrimp Scampi
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats
- Cheese Stuffed Shells
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Garlic Shrimp Pasta recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled deveined
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package instructions; drain well and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt two tablespoons butter. Add shrimp, salt and crushed red pepper, and cook stirring occasionally, until shrimp is opaque pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, pasta water and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet and toss with the sauce.
- Add the shrimp on top and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- To make it gluten-free, you can use any gluten-free pasta of your choice.
- To make the sauce more creamy, you can add some milk instead of some of the water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
So good and so easy. I added a bit of truffle oil and it really worked well with it.
Yum, that sounds amazing!! Thanks, Bob! So glad you liked it.
Amazing! My husband loved
Yay, so glad he loved it!! Thanks!
I LOVE the flavor and how easy it is but when I put the Parmesan in with the pasta sauce and lemon juice it clumps up because it’s all so hot. What am I doing wrong? I want the cheese in there. I’ve made this a few times and we just add cheese on top after it’s all done but I’d like to know what I can do to fix this issue. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Hi Margaret! So happy to hear you love this recipe! A few people have mentioned having an issue with cheese clumping as well, so I updated the recipe to include an extra step—turning the heat off after sautéing the garlic in butter. By removing the pan from heat after this step, it gives the ingredients time to cool before adding the cheese. Be sure to also add the pasta water and lemon juice before the cheese. Hope that helps!
Super easy and flavourful. There are always ways to change it up, too!
Yes, it’s very versatile! So glad you like it, Diane!! Thanks!
The BEST shrimp pasta dish I have ever made! My husband loved it, said he could eat that every night! Such a simple recipe and yet an amazing combination. I did have the same trouble as someone else, having the freshly grated Parmesan clump but I think I may have got a step mixed up so I’ll take greater care next time (there will definitely be a next time for this recipe!). Thank you!!
Wow, thank you so much!! So glad you and your husband loved it, Kate! The key is to turn off the heat after sautéing the garlic so the heat doesn’t cause the cheese to separate. I recommend sautéing the butter and garlic, then removing the pan from heat and adding the lemon juice and pasta water before the cheese. Hope that helps!