Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta Lite (Printable Version)

Fresh shrimp with zesty lemon-garlic butter over angel hair pasta

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 8 oz angel hair pasta

→ Sauce

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

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta according to package directions 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 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer; cook 1-2 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, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed for a silky consistency.
07 - Return shrimp to the skillet, toss gently to combine, and heat through for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian restaurant
  • The lemon butter sauce clings to every strand of pasta without needing any cream or heavy ingredients
  • Leftovers (if they exist) reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and sad, so remove them from heat the moment they turn completely pink
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon for transforming a broken sauce into something velvety and cohesive
  • Lemon zest contains all the essential oils, so grate it before juicing to get maximum flavor impact
03 -
  • If your shrimp still have their tails on, remove them before cooking for easier eating
  • Room temperature shrimp cook more evenly than cold straight-from-the-fridge ones
  • A microplane makes getting every bit of lemon zest effortless and avoids the bitter white pith
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