Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
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If you love garlic shrimp scampi, then you’ll adore this version of Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta! It has all the classic scampi flavors—lemon, garlic, and butter—but with the addition of cream and parmesan for an extra flavorful sauce.
One of the best things about New England is how easy it is to make a great seafood meal without much fuss. Shrimp is an affordable way to add a little something special to simple ingredients, making this dish both easy enough for a weeknight and impressive enough for company. It’s got that restaurant-quality feel but comes together quickly—perfect for when you want something delicious without spending hours in the kitchen!
Ready in under 30 minutes, this one-pan dish is perfect for any night of the week. It’s easy to customize, beginner-friendly, and delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal cleanup.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Luscious – a touch of pasta water, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese to make a lush and creamy pasta sauce.
- Restaurant Quality – bring restaurant-quality flavor to your table with minimal effort. It’s easy and affordable for a weeknight but impressive enough for a special occasion or casual dinner party.
- Quick and Easy – ready in less than 30 minutes and a beginner-friendly meal made in one pan.
- Customizable – use your favorite pasta and sub chicken for the shrimp if you prefer
Ingredients You’ll Need
This garlic shrimp pasta recipe is best made with fresh ingredients. Check my substitution section for wine-free subs and more.
- Linguine – use your favorite brand of pasta. Cook to al dente according to package instructions. Al dente pasta will absorb the sauce better without overcooking!
- Large Shrimp – peeled and deveined, uncooked (fresh or frozen). See the section just below for suggestions
- Olive Oil – always use a quality olive oil for best flavoring
- White Wine – I like to use dry white wine. You can also use seafood stock or vegetable broth instead.
- Unsalted Butter
- Fresh Garlic – minced or run through a garlic press. Tip: If you’re using jarred garlic, you may need to add a little extra since it has a milder flavor.
- Coarse Kosher Salt – Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. If you only have table salt, reduce the amount called for on the recipe card by half.
- Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Lemon Juice– Fresh lemons only. You’ll need 1 1/2 for this recipe. The remaining half can be used for garnish and serving.
- Pasta Water – Be sure to save a cup of pasta water when the linguine is done cooking—it’s key for the perfect sauce!
- Heavy Cream
- Lemon Zest
- Fresh Parsley – finely minced
- Parmesan Cheese – for finishing the pasta. I use grated parmesan.
Hint: Use fresh garlic and fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
The Best Shrimp For This Recipe
Choose raw shrimp that have already been peeled and deveined for this recipe. Trust me, you don’t want to peel the shrimp yourself. And you definitely don’t want to devein it.
If you can find shrimp with the tails removed as well, that would be great! Frozen (thawed) or fresh shrimp work in this recipe, but it’s necessary that the shrimp be uncooked for the best flavor.
How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
This is a short overview of the full directions you’ll find in the recipe card below. Use the complete directions below for the best results.
Step 1
Cook the linguine until al dente, then save 1 cup of pasta water before you drain the linguine. Set the pasta aside.
Time Saving Tip
To make this recipe in 30 minutes or less, prep all the ingredients while the pasta is cooking.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Flip over the shrimp and continue cooking for 2 more minutes until the shrimp is pink, opaque, and fully cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan.
Step 3
Pour the wine into the hot pan and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by half and the alcohol smell is gone.
Add the butter and garlic to the pan and cook for about a minute – until the butter melts and the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and stir to create a sauce.
Step 4
Add the cooked pasta, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and cream. Toss until everything is well coated.
Return the shrimp to the pan and taste. Add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper if needed.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy hot!
Tips & Tricks for the Best Garlic and Shrimp Pasta
- If using frozen shrimp, thaw it first and ensure it’s peeled and deveined to save time.
- Shrimp cook fast, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan as soon as they turn pink and opaque to avoid overcooking.
- Salt the pasta water generously (like the sea) for the best flavor–you’ll be using the water later.
- Deglaze the pan with wine or broth to lift any flavorful bits.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce in the pan, rather than just pouring sauce on top. This helps the pasta absorb the flavors evenly.
- Add fresh herbs and lemon zest at the end, brighten up, and freshen up the richness.
- Sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan at the end. During recipe testing, I learned that adding the parm to the sauce directly makes it clumpy!
Substitutions & Variations
- Use non-alcoholic wine, seafood stock, or vegetable broth in place of white wine. The alcohol does cook out a little, but if you’re serving this dish to kids or if you avoid wine, best to swap it out.
- Omit the cream and add seafood stock or pasta water to make a lighter sauce.
- Reduce the amount of pasta to 12 ounces or even 8 ounces for a saucier dish.
- Cooked chicken breast or scallops can replace the shrimp in this recipe.
- Gluten-free pasta can be used.
- Swap the linguine for fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair pasta, or any long noodle you like!
- You can add some red pepper flakes to the sauce if you like a little heat.
How to Serve Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
Shrimp pasta is best eaten fresh and hot for the best texture and flavor.
Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, a small wedge of lemon, and a bit of fresh parsley on the side if you like.
I like to serve this creamy shrimp scampi pasta, with some Homemade Garlic Bread and a Fresh Apple Walnut Salad or Pan-Fried Lemon Parm Asparagus.
Storage Instructions for Leftovers
Store any leftover shrimp pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat within 3-4 days.
Reheating Instructions
Reheat leftovers in a skillet over low heat with a tablespoon of butter. Add 2-3 tablespoons of broth or water to loosen up the sauce as it heats.
Tip: Remove the shrimp before reheating the pasta, then mix them back in for the last minute to keep them from overcooking.
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Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguine dry
- 12 ounces of large shrimp fresh or frozen, peeled, deveined, and uncooked.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 cup of white wine or seafood stock
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon 3-4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup of pasta water
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley minced
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt. Following the package instructions, cook the pasta until al dente. Once cooked, save 1 cup of pasta water and drain. Set the pasta aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and fully cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan.
- Pour the wine into the hot pan and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by half and the alcohol smell is gone.
- Add the butter and garlic to the pan. Once the butter melts, cook for 30-60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Pour in the reserved pasta water and stir to create a sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta, parsley, lemon zest, and cream to the pan. Use tongs to toss the pasta in the sauce until everything is well coated.
- Lastly, return the shrimp to the pan. Give the pasta a taste and add more lemon, salt, or pepper as needed.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Notes
- To keep this dish in 30 minutes or less, prep the ingredients while the pasta cooks and use already peeled and deveined shrimp.
- If using frozen shrimp, thaw first.
