Description
A quick, budget-friendly weeknight dinner featuring shrimp in a creamy lemon garlic butter sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes, this recipe is kid-approved and perfect for busy families.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) Penne or Linguine
- 1 tablespoon Salt (for pasta water)
- 4 tablespoons (60g) Unsalted Butter
- 6–8 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 to 1.5 pounds (450-680g) Frozen, peeled, and deveined Shrimp
- ½ cup (120ml) Heavy Cream
- 2 medium Lemons (zest and juice)
- ½ cup (50g) Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
- Black Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Mince garlic, zest and juice lemons, chop parsley, and thaw shrimp in cold water. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden, being careful not to brown the garlic.
- Add the dried shrimp to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Reduce heat to low. Pour heavy cream into the skillet with the garlic butter. Simmer gently for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Gradually stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Return the shrimp and any juices to the skillet. Add the drained pasta. Toss gently to coat everything in the sauce. Warm shrimp through without overcooking.
- Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan, fresh parsley, and a crack of black pepper.
Notes
[‘Pat shrimp dry before cooking to ensure they sear rather than steam.’, ‘Do not overcook shrimp; they turn rubbery if cooked too long.’, ‘Save pasta water; the starch helps emulsify the sauce.’, ‘Use fresh lemon juice and zest for best flavor.’, ‘Sauce does not freeze well due to dairy content; store in fridge for up to 3 days.’, ‘Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of milk or cream to maintain creaminess.’]
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving based on 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
Keywords: shrimp pasta, lemon garlic butter, weeknight dinner, easy recipe, family dinner, quick meals, budget-friendly