Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable)
A zesty mix of shrimp, garlic, and lemon combined with pasta and wilted spinach.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
02 - Salt, to taste for pasta water
→ Shrimp
03 - 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
06 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Sauce & Vegetables
07 - 3 tbsp olive oil
08 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tbsp)
11 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach
12 - 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
16 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water then drain pasta.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and lemon zest to the skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in white wine or broth and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until just wilted.
07 - Return shrimp to the skillet with cooked pasta and butter. Toss to combine, gradually adding reserved pasta water until sauce reaches desired consistency.
08 - Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve immediately with optional Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like you spent hours cooking when you really spent 30 minutes, which is the kind of magic we all need on busy nights.
- The shrimp cooks so quickly that it stays tender and sweet, and the lemon keeps everything light instead of heavy.
- Fresh spinach wilts right into the sauce without any fuss, adding nutrition without tasting like you're being virtuous about it.
02 -
- Shrimp goes from perfect to tough in about 30 seconds once it turns pink, so the moment it's opaque all the way through, take it off the heat—overcooking is the only real way to mess this up.
- Don't skip reserving pasta water; that starch is what makes the sauce silky and helps everything come together instead of sliding around on the plate.
- If you're using frozen shrimp, thaw them properly (not in hot water) and dry them very well, because moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
03 -
- If your pan isn't big enough to fit the shrimp in a single layer, resist the urge to crowd them anyway—cook them in two batches if you need to, because crowding drops the temperature and they'll steam instead of sear.
- Taste everything before it leaves the stove because salt and lemon are adjustable at the end, and a squeeze more lemon can wake up a plate that feels one-note.