Shrimp Pasta | Seafood Dinner
There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you combine tender shrimp, garlic, a splash of white wine, and perfectly cooked pasta. It’s a dish that transports you straight to a sun-drenched Mediterranean coastline, fork in hand, with not a care in the world. This particular shrimp pasta recipe is something I’ve refined over years, striving to capture the essence of a meal I once had at a tiny, family-run restaurant overlooking the sea in Italy. The secret, I learned, wasn’t a long list of complicated ingredients, but the quality of a few simple ones and the technique used to bring them together.
What we’re creating here is more than just a quick dinner; it’s an experience. We’ll build a luscious, flavourful sauce right in the pan, using the starchy pasta water to bind everything together into a silky coating for every strand of linguine. The shrimp are cooked just until they are sweet and succulent, infused with garlic and a hint of chilli warmth. The final flourish of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice cuts through the richness, making the entire dish feel bright and vibrant.
This seafood pasta is ideal for those evenings when you want something a little bit special without spending hours in the kitchen. It works beautifully for a quiet date night in, but it’s also straightforward enough for a satisfying weeknight meal. My kids absolutely devour this every time I make it; they love twirling the long pasta strands and finding the juicy shrimp. It always gets compliments, and I’m so excited to share my method with you.
Recipe Overview
This shrimp pasta recipe focuses on creating a light yet deeply flavourful garlic and white wine sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta. You can expect sweet, plump shrimp, a gentle warmth from chilli, and a fresh, zesty finish from lemon and parsley. After testing this many times, I’ve found that the key is not to rush the garlic; letting it gently sizzle in the olive oil releases its flavour without any bitterness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Pasta
- Wonderful Flavour: The sauce is a delicate balance of savoury garlic, crisp white wine, rich olive oil, and a bright, acidic lift from fresh lemon juice. It coats the pasta without being heavy.
- Ready in 30 Minutes: From start to finish, this impressive meal comes together in about half an hour, making it a brilliant option for busy evenings.
- A Flexible Recipe: It’s easy to adapt. You can toss in a handful of baby spinach at the end until it wilts, or add some halved cherry tomatoes with the garlic for a touch of sweetness.
- Great for Special Dinners: This dish feels elegant and celebratory, making it a great choice for a romantic meal for two or when you have guests over.
- Family Tested: This is a go-to dinner in my house. Everyone seems to love the combination of flavours, and it’s a fantastic way to enjoy a lovely seafood pasta meal at home.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For a dish with so few ingredients, using good quality ones really makes a difference. I always opt for a good extra virgin olive oil for finishing the sauce, as its fruity notes really shine through. When it comes to the shrimp, or prawns as we often call them here, make sure you get raw, not pre-cooked ones, for the best texture.
- 400g dried linguine or spaghetti
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes (or more, to taste)
- 450g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 120ml dry white wine (like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 60g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- A large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sophia’s Tip: Don’t throw away all your pasta water! This starchy liquid is liquid gold. It emulsifies with the butter and oil to create a smooth, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta, rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
How to Make Shrimp Pasta
The process for this shrimp recipe is quite straightforward. We cook the pasta while simultaneously making the simple pan sauce. The key is timing it so the hot pasta goes straight into the sauce with a splash of its cooking water.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a very generous amount of salt (it should taste like the sea). Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water.
- Start the Sauce: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red chilli flakes. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn a pale gold. Don’t let it brown, or it will become bitter.
- Cook the Shrimp: Turn the heat up to medium, add the raw shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook them.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavourful browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes.
- Bring it Together: Reduce the heat to low. Using tongs, transfer the cooked linguine directly from the pot into the frying pan with the shrimp. Add the cubed butter and about 120ml of the reserved pasta water.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Toss everything together continuously for about 2 minutes. I find that using tongs to lift and turn the pasta is the best way to do this. The butter will melt and the pasta water will help create a creamy, emulsified sauce that coats every strand. If it looks a little dry, add another splash of pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and most of the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or chilli flakes if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining parsley.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Shrimp Temperature Control: The single most important factor for tender shrimp is not to overcook them. They cook in a matter of minutes. As soon as they turn from translucent grey to opaque pink, they’re done. It’s better to slightly undercook them in the pan, as they’ll continue to cook from the residual heat of the pasta and sauce.
- The Secret Step is Emulsification: I learned that the vigorous tossing of the pasta, fat (butter/oil), and starchy pasta water is what creates the magic. This agitation, combined with the starch, helps bind the water and oil into a stable, creamy sauce. Don’t just stir; really get in there and toss it well.
- Make-Ahead Prep: To save time, you can peel and devein the shrimp, slice the garlic, and chop the parsley ahead of time. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to a day. This makes the final cooking process incredibly fast.
- Storage: Leftover shrimp pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Seafood is best enjoyed fresh, so I don’t recommend storing it for longer. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Colander (or a pasta spider)
- Large frying pan or sauté pan (big enough to hold the pasta and sauce)
- Tongs or a pasta fork for tossing
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the Pasta: Mushy pasta is a tragedy. Always cook your linguine to al dente (with a slight bite) because it will cook a little more when you toss it in the hot sauce.
- Under-seasoning the Pasta Water: The only chance you get to season the pasta itself is in the boiling water. It needs to be aggressively salted. This seasons the dish from the inside out and makes a huge difference to the final flavour.
- Rinsing the Pasta: Never rinse your pasta after draining it for a dish like this! Rinsing washes away the surface starch that is essential for helping the sauce cling to the pasta and for creating that beautiful, emulsified texture.
Delicious Variations to Try
While this recipe is wonderful as it is, it also serves as a brilliant canvas for customisation. Here are a few variations we enjoy at home:
- Spicy Shrimp Pasta: If you love heat, double the amount of red chilli flakes. You could also add a finely chopped fresh red chilli along with the garlic for a more potent kick.
- Creamy Lemon Shrimp Pasta: For a richer, more decadent sauce, stir in 60-80ml of double cream at the very end, just after you add the lemon juice and parsley.
- Add Some Greens: Wilt a few large handfuls of fresh spinach into the sauce just before adding the pasta. Sautéed asparagus tips or tenderstem broccoli also work wonderfully. For another delicious weeknight meal idea, check out these Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders.
What to Serve With Shrimp Pasta
This seafood pasta is a complete meal on its own, but a few simple accompaniments can elevate it further.
- Garlic Bread: A few slices of warm, crusty garlic bread are fantastic for mopping up every last bit of the delicious sauce from the bottom of the bowl.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad of rocket and lettuce with a sharp lemon vinaigrette provides a fresh, peppery contrast to the richness of the pasta.
- Wine Pairing: The same dry white wine you used in the sauce, such as a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, is the natural choice to serve alongside it. For a non-alcoholic option, a sparkling elderflower pressé works beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a very generous amount of salt (it should taste like the sea). Add the linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water.
- Start the Sauce: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red chilli flakes. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn a pale gold. Don't let it brown, or it will become bitter.
- Cook the Shrimp: Turn the heat up to medium, add the raw shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook them.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavourful browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes.
- Bring it Together: Reduce the heat to low. Using tongs, transfer the cooked linguine directly from the pot into the frying pan with the shrimp. Add the cubed butter and about 120ml of the reserved pasta water.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Toss everything together continuously for about 2 minutes. I find that using tongs to lift and turn the pasta is the best way to do this. The butter will melt and the pasta water will help create a creamy, emulsified sauce that coats every strand. If it looks a little dry, add another splash of pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and most of the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or chilli flakes if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining parsley.
Notes
I truly hope you enjoy making this simple yet elegant shrimp pasta. It’s a dish that brings me so much joy, and it’s a staple on our dinner table. If you are looking for a sweet treat to follow this meal, my Peach Crumb Cheesecake is always a hit. Please let me know how you get on by leaving a comment below – I love hearing about your kitchen adventures! Happy cooking!
– Sophia Martinez
