Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

5 from 7 votes

A decadent but simple shrimp pasta featuring a garlic and white wine cream sauce. This quick recipe uses frozen shrimp and fresh parmesan for a fast, flavorful dinner that tastes like it came from a restaurant.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 657kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

12 oz. pasta preferably linguine
3 tablespoons butter divided use
1 pound large shrimp raw, deveined, peeled and tail-off; defrosted if frozen
salt + freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
⅓ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
½ lemon zest only
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
½ cup heavy cream or more to taste and as needed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 cups baby spinach not packed
lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and additional parmesan optional for serving

Instructions

Prep: 
Prep your ingredients - this recipe comes together fast once you’re getting started. Set aside a plate and some foil to keep the cooked shrimp warm. Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta and place a colander in the sink for draining.
Cook pasta: 
Once the water is at a boil, cook the pasta according to package directions. IMPORTANT: Reserve ½ cup of cooking water before draining the pasta!
12 oz. pasta
Cook the shrimp:
 Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sear until browned and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Set aside on a plate and cover with foil. Wipe the skillet only if a lot of browned bits are stuck to the pan.
1 tablespoons butter, 1 pound large shrimp, salt + freshly ground black pepper
Cook the sauce: 
In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and chicken broth. Add the lemon zest and simmer for 3 minutes.
2 tablespoons butter, 6 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ⅓ cup white wine, ½ cup chicken broth, ½ lemon
Add cheese and cream: 
Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir in the parmesan, cream and parsley and simmer gently for 1 more minute - do not boil!
½ cup freshly grated parmesan, ½ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Finish the dish:
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and toss. Add the spinach and toss until it's wilted, about 1 minute. Add reserved pasta cooking water, a little at a time, and toss until the sauce is smooth and creamy and coats the pasta well. Toss in the shrimp. Add an extra cream if needed to coat everything in sauce.
3 cups baby spinach
Serve:
 Serve ASAP with parmesan, black pepper, chili flakes and fresh lemon juice.
lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and additional parmesan

Nutrition