Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta Lite (View Print Version)

Fresh, vibrant pasta with succulent shrimp in zesty lemon-garlic butter sauce over delicate angel hair. Light yet satisfying.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 8 ounces angel hair pasta

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
11 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer; cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining olive oil and butter to skillet. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon zest, juice, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed for a silky texture.
07 - Return shrimp to the skillet, toss gently to combine, and heat through for 1 minute.
08 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but you'll be plating in twenty-five minutes flat.
  • The lemon and garlic create this bright, clean flavor that never feels heavy even after a full serving.
  • Shrimp cook so fast there's no excuse for a boring weeknight dinner ever again.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, and the ones you don't are worth keeping around.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the shrimp—wet shrimp steam instead of sear and you lose that golden edge.
  • Save that pasta water before you drain, because once it's gone you can't get back the starchy magic that makes the sauce cling.
  • Pull the shrimp off heat the second they turn opaque or they'll go rubbery while you toss the pasta.
  • Angel hair overcooks in a blink, so set a timer and taste a strand a minute early.
03 -
  • Use the biggest skillet you have so the shrimp sear instead of crowding and steaming in their own juice.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it—it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon and you'll wish you'd done it the other way around.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the shrimp back in and adjust the salt or lemon, because once everything is tossed together it's harder to fix.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, you can sear the shrimp ahead and let them hang out on a plate while you finish the sauce and pasta.
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