Italian
Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine
Linguine is tossed with shrimp cooked in garlic butter, white wine, and lemon. Parsley and a few chili flakes finish the bowl while the shrimp are still just opaque.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- Shrimp are seared in one layer, then pulled, so they do not steam and overcook.
- Garlic gets less than a minute in the butter so it stays blonde.
- Wine reduces by about half before the pasta goes in, which keeps the sauce from tasting raw.
- A spoon of pasta water helps the butter cling to the linguine.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the linguine until al dente, usually 9 to 11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- 2
While the water heats, pat the shrimp dry and season them with 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Wet shrimp will not brown.
- 3
Heat the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. Move them to a plate.
- 4
Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tbsp butter. When it melts, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir 30 to 45 seconds, until the garlic smells sweet and is still pale.
- 5
Pour in the wine. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until the pan liquid has reduced by about half and the alcohol smell fades.
- 6
Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/3 cup pasta water. Toss in the drained linguine and the shrimp. Add parsley. Toss over low heat for about 1 minute, adding more pasta water if the noodles look dry.
- 7
Taste for salt. Serve right away, while the shrimp are still tender. A tight ring means they went too far.
Pro tips
- If the shrimp do not fit in one layer, cook them in two rounds. Crowding drops the pan temperature and they steam.
- Stop at blonde garlic. Brown garlic turns the butter bitter.
- Use a dry white you would drink. A sweet wine makes the sauce taste like dessert.
Easy substitutions
- dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- linguine
- spaghetti
- shrimp
- bay scallops, seared just until opaque
Storage and reheating
Storage
This is better the day it is made. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 2 days. Shrimp dry out the longer they sit.
Reheating
Warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, just until the shrimp are hot. A hard simmer will make them rubbery.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Special occasion · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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