Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Bright lemon and garlic blend with shrimp and fresh spinach for a quick, flavorful pasta dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
02 - 1 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water)

→ Shrimp

03 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - ½ tsp kosher salt
05 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Sauce & Vegetables

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach
10 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
11 - ¼ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
13 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
15 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and lightly golden. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute.
06 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and broth. Simmer for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits.
07 - Reduce heat to low and stir in butter until melted.
08 - Add drained pasta and shrimp back to skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce.
09 - Stir in Parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lemon juice to taste.
10 - Plate dish immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley, extra Parmesan, and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but youll be sitting down to eat in thirty minutes.
  • The bright lemon and garlic wake up your taste buds without overpowering the sweet, tender shrimp.
  • You only need one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is mercifully quick.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but forgiving enough for a regular Wednesday.
02 -
  • Do not cook the shrimp longer than two minutes per side or they will turn rubbery and sad, they finish cooking when you toss them back in with the pasta.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, I have forgotten more times than I care to admit and had to add plain water which does not work the same.
  • If your sauce looks dry or clumpy, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it loosens and shines.
03 -
  • Use a Microplane to zest the lemon directly over the skillet so none of those fragrant oils go to waste.
  • If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them in a bowl of cold water for fifteen minutes and then dry them thoroughly before seasoning.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, if it is undersalted your dish will taste flat no matter what you do later.

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