Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this garlic shrimp pasta recipe.
  2. Everything you’ll need to make this garlic shrimp pasta.
  3. Here’s how to make this garlic shrimp pasta.
  4. These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
  5. You'll love these other pasta recipes.
  6. Watch how to make this garlic shrimp pasta.
  7. Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
  8. Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe

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The freshness of the spring season unfolds in this garlic shrimp pasta recipe. Effortlessly combining shrimp with spaghetti, a restaurant-style dish is formed without leaving home. Bright flavors from shallot, chiles, parsley, and lemon accompany the shrimp, forming a colorful and flavorful dish.

Kaleb Wyse standing in front of light gray background with black t-shirt.

Why I love this garlic shrimp pasta recipe.

Have you had an out-of-body experience while eating a meal on vacation? Picture a random industrial building with a makeshift restaurant packed full of people and one of the best shrimp dishes you have had. This is how this recipe started.

I was on vacation and knew the food must be good as people were spilling out of this place. The shrimp dish left an impression. It was simple, as shrimp should be, but so full of flavor. Shrimp cooks quickly, and there is a small window to add flavor. This garlic shrimp pasta recipe gives the traditional butter and wine sauce an upgrade for a quick weeknight meal that could be from a vacation hot spot. Think of it as staycation food.

Large bowl filled with garlic shrimp pasta with spaghetti noodles wrapping around the pieces of shrimp with red chiles.

Everything you’ll need to make this garlic shrimp pasta.

  • Shrimp are sold by weight units, but their size varies. Choose a larger shrimp size, like 16 to 20 per pound.
  • Red chiles add a hint of heat to the dish without overwhelming the flavor.
  • White wine adds acidity that works well with the butter, cutting through the richness and balancing the flavor.
  • Shallot gives a sweet, subtle onion flavor that is more refined than onion.
  • Garlic mellows and marries with the butter-wine sauce.
White marble surface filled with all ingredients needed for a garlic shrimp pasta recipe with spaghetti, chiles, raw shrimp, and more.

Here’s how to make this garlic shrimp pasta.

  1. Cook the spaghetti. In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil. Season with kosher salt. Add the spaghetti and cook to the package instructions.
Raw spaghetti being placed in a large pot on the stovetop filled with boiling water.
Hand using tongs to scoop out cooked spaghetti from a large stockpot on the stove.
  1. Prepare the dish. Remove the shells from the shrimp. If desired, remove the tail. Pat dry and season with salt and black pepper. Let sit while preparing the vegetables. Slice the shallot into thin slices. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot to the skillet and sauté for 4 minutes, until the shallot softens.
Hand using a paper towel to pat dry raw shrimp on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Butter in a skillet on the stovetop with scallion cooking in the butter.
  1. Cook the shrimp. Slice the chiles and garlic and add to the pan. Add the shrimp, cook for 4 minutes, and flip, creating a bright pink color on one side. Pour the white wine over the top. Cook until the shrimp is completely cooked and the wine has reduced by half. Add in an additional 2 tbsp of butter and stir in.
Skillet with butter, red chiles, and garlic cooking on the stovetop.
Hand placing raw shrimp in a large skillet with a tongs to cook for garlic shrimp pasta.
Raw shrimp cooking in a skillet on the stovetop for a garlic shrimp pasta recipe.
Cooked, brightly colored shrimp with red chiles in a large skillet on the stovetop.
  1. Plate and garnish the dish. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Pour the sauce and shrimp overtop. Garnish with chopped parsley, lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon. Add a hint of finishing salt. Serve warm.
Large white bowl filled with garlic shrimp pasta with glass of white wine to the side.
Red chiles tosses with pieces of garlic and spaghetti with pieces of cooked shrimp.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

  • Shrimp size is based on the number per pound. Large shrimp are great for this recipe, and it utilizes 16/20 shrimp per pound. However, use whatever you prefer! Regardless of the size, make sure to use uncooked shrimp. Otherwise, it can become overcooked and rubbery.
  • The smaller a vegetable is cut, the more flavor it provides. That’s great in many applications, but not here. Slicing the shallot and garlic in larger pieces allows them to add flavor to the dish without overpowering the shrimp’s taste.
  • Garnishes like finishing salt and lemon do more than just add flavor. They can actually emphasize the flavors already in the dish, making them stand out a little bit more.
White bowl filled with garlic shrimp pasta with red chiles and spaghetti wrapping around the cooked pieces of shrimp.
What type of shrimp should be used for this dish?

Choose an uncooked peel-on shrimp. I use frozen shrimp, as that is the freshest option in Iowa.

What kind of wine works best?

A dry white wine is ideal. Personally, I use Sauvignon Blanc.

How can this be made less spicy?

The overall dish is not spicy but has only subtle heat. The chilis add great flavor but can also be omitted if necessary.

You’ll love these other pasta recipes.

Watch how to make this garlic shrimp pasta.

More weeknight recipes

Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?

I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!

Large white bowl filled with garlic shrimp pasta with chiles and spaghetti.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Kaleb
5 from 3 votes
The freshness of the spring season unfolds in this seafood pasta. Effortlessly combining shrimp with spaghetti, a restaurant-style dish is formed without leaving home. Bright flavors from shallot, chiles, parsley, and lemon accompany the shrimp, forming a colorful and flavorful dish.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share a Review

Ingredients

  • 2 lb shrimp thawed with shells removed (16/20 size)
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter separated
  • ¾ cup sliced shallot
  • 12 oz spaghetti
  • 2 Fresno red chiles sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup white wine
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions for al dente.
    12 oz spaghetti
  • While the pasta is cooking, place the shrimp on a large sheet pan and pat them dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with the salt and black pepper and set them aside.
    2 lb shrimp, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Melt 4 tbsp butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until the shallot is softened and begins to turn golden on the edges, 4 minutes. Add chiles and garlic and sauté until they are fragrant, 30 seconds.
    6 tbsp unsalted butter, ¾ cup sliced shallot, 2 Fresno red chiles, 5 cloves garlic
  • Add the prepared shrimp and white wine. Cook the shrimp until they are all opaque and curled with the wine reduced by about half, 4 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and stir to melt the butter.
    ⅓ cup white wine, 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Drain the pasta and pour it onto a serving platter. Top with the cooked shrimp and sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and serve immediately.
    ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Notes

Shrimp size is based on the number per pound. Large shrimp are great for this recipe, and it utilizes 16/20 shrimp per pound. However, use whatever you prefer! Regardless of the size, make sure to use uncooked shrimp. Otherwise, it can become overcooked and rubbery.
The smaller a vegetable is cut, the more flavor it provides. That’s great in many applications, but not here. Slicing the shallot and garlic in larger pieces allows them to add flavor to the dish without overpowering the shrimp’s taste.
Garnishes like finishing salt and lemon do more than just add flavor. They can actually emphasize the flavors already in the dish, making them stand out a little bit more.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 457kcal
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Difficulty Easy
Method Cooking

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Kaleb

I’m Kaleb! I'm not a chef, professional baker, landscaper, or designer, but I like to play each on Knollgate Farm. Come join me on my journey and let's learn together!

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5 from 3 votes

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Super simple and excellent! I followed the recipe to the T. Yummy 😋
    Will definitely make this again. Cheers.

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    So quick, so easy, so delicious. I didn’t have the Red Fresno chilies, so I used regular Jalapenos and it worked. Thanks Kaleb!

    Reply

  4. So full of flavor! So stinking easy!!!! My husband says I could sell this in a restaurant 😆 great recipe. Thank you!!!

    Reply