Description
Tangy lemon shrimp pasta delivers a Mediterranean-inspired culinary experience with zesty notes and fresh ingredients. Quick preparation meets delightful flavors, ensuring both simplicity and satisfaction for home cooks seeking elegant dining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz (227 grams) spaghetti or linguine
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup pasta cooking water (reserved)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- Lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Cook pasta until al dente, reserving a cup of starchy cooking liquid. Drain and set pasta aside.
- Shrimp Searing: Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, sear until pink and translucent. Remove shrimp and set aside on a separate plate.
- Sauce Creation: In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Deglaze with lemon juice, sprinkle red pepper flakes, and introduce reserved pasta water. Allow the sauce to simmer and develop robust flavors.
- Final Assembly: Return seared shrimp to the skillet, gently toss with pasta to ensure complete sauce coverage. Incorporate chopped parsley and lemon zest, adjusting seasoning to taste. Ensure every strand is luxuriously coated with the vibrant sauce.
- Serving: Plate immediately, garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and additional parsley. Serve hot, presenting a harmonious blend of zesty, succulent seafood and perfectly prepared pasta.
Notes
- Preserve Pasta Water: Save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining, which helps create a silky, cohesive sauce that clings perfectly to noodles.
- Control Shrimp Cooking: Avoid overcooking shrimp by removing them from heat when they turn pink and translucent, preventing rubbery texture and maintaining delicate tenderness.
- Balance Lemon Intensity: Adjust lemon juice gradually, tasting as you go to prevent overwhelming acidity and ensure a bright, balanced flavor profile without overpowering other ingredients.
- Elevate with Garnishes: Fresh herbs like parsley and optional Parmesan cheese add layers of freshness and depth, transforming the dish from simple to sophisticated with minimal extra effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg