Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable)

Zesty linguine with garlic shrimp, fresh spinach, and lemon sauce for a vibrant seafood dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)

→ Shrimp

03 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
06 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

→ Sauce & Vegetables

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
12 - ¼ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
16 - Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
02 - Combine shrimp with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove from skillet and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted.
06 - Pour in white wine or chicken broth, add lemon zest and lemon juice. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
07 - Add cooked pasta, unsalted butter, grated Parmesan, and half of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding more pasta water as needed for desired consistency.
08 - Return shrimp to the skillet and toss with the pasta mixture. Heat through for 1 minute.
09 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout, with most of the cook time being hands off pasta boiling.
  • The lemon and garlic make everything taste bright and alive, even on a gray Tuesday.
  • Youll have one skillet and one pot to wash, which means more time to actually enjoy dinner.
  • Shrimp cook so fast theres almost no way to mess this up, and the spinach sneaks in without anyone complaining about greens.
02 -
  • Dont overcook the shrimp or they turn into little erasers, pull them out the second they are opaque and let them finish warming in the pasta at the end.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, it has starch that makes the sauce creamy and helps everything stick together instead of sliding around the plate.
  • Use fresh lemon juice, the bottled stuff tastes flat and sad, and zest the lemon before you juice it or youll be wrestling with a slippery wet lemon.
03 -
  • Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel before seasoning so they sear instead of steam, that little step makes them golden and sweet.
  • Taste the pasta water before you save it, if its well salted it will season the whole dish as it brings the sauce together.
  • Dont rinse the pasta after draining, you want that starch clinging to every strand so the sauce has something to grab onto.

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