This quick and easy weeknight garlic shrimp spaghetti recipe is ready in just 30 minutes! It's packed with savory flavors from butter, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, and perfectly cooked shrimp.
I absolutely love spaghetti. I feel like it can be nostalgic and comforting, like macaroni and cheese. But pasta can also be fancy and classy, like beet ravioli with goat cheese. It all depends on what you cook with it!
Best of all, spaghetti dishes like this one cook quickly, making them the perfect weeknight meal.
The shrimp and tomatoes in this pasta are cooked in a rich butter garlic sauce. Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top for some extra salty and umami flavors. Fresh parsley adds a pop of green color and a fresh, herb flavor. It's seriously so delicious!!
Ingredients
- Medium shrimp - I recommend buying peeled and deveined shrimp with the tail off to save on preparation time. Frozen or fresh shrimp both work in this recipe.
- Salt
- Spaghetti - any type of pasta will work in this recipe, but I recommend spaghetti. Linguine or fettuccine also work well.
- Butter - creates the rich and creamy garlic butter sauce
- Lemon juice - use freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible, for the best flavor
- Garlic
- Cherry tomatoes - you can leave the tomatoes out, or substitute sundried tomatoes for a more intense flavor
- Ground black pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese - as the cheese melts on the warm pasta, it makes this dish even creamier and adds a rich, savory flavor
- Parsley - use fresh chopped parsley or substitute one tablespoon of dried parsley
Let's Cook Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti Together!
In a medium skillet on medium heat, melt the butter.
Cook for about 4-6 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through.
Add the shrimp, garlic, and sliced cherry tomatoes.
Combine the sauce and shrimp with the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
What to Serve with Garlic Shrimp Pasta
This garlic shrimp spaghetti is a delicious meal on its own. But you could also serve it alongside homemade breadsticks (for olive garden vibes). Or serve it alongside a chicken Caesar salad.
And if you're like my husband and not a fan of shrimp, substitute cooked chicken, meatballs, sliced sausage, or pesto butter salmon.
Recipe Tips
- Al Dente Pasta: Cook the pasta until it is al dente, which means it's still a little chewy, to avoid mushy pasta. Read my full post on how long to boil spaghetti.
- Defrost Frozen Shrimp: If you're using frozen shrimp, submerge the unopened package in a large bowl of cold water on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes, until it has thawed. Then drain any excess liquid and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Dry Fresh Shrimp: If you're using fresh shrimp, drain any excess liquid and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Perfectly Cooked Shrimp: Shrimp cooks super quickly, and if it's overcooked, it will be come rubbery. Keep a close eye on the shrimp and cook it just until it is a light pink color.
Storing
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store leftovers in an airtight container or freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips on Cooking with Shrimp
What size shrimp should I use?
For this recipe, I recommend using medium shrimp. If you use larger shrimp, like jumbo shrimp, they'll take longer to cook. And if you use small or mini shrimp, they take less time to cook and could end up really chewy really quickly.
Do I peel shrimp before cooking in pasta?
I recommend using peeled, deveined shrimp without the tail. This will save time, since you don't have to peel or devein the shrimp at home.
And while the crispy tails are edible, I personally don't think they taste very nice in a creamy buttery pasta. But to each their own!
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tail off
- 4 quarts water
- 1 Tbsp plus ½ tsp salt
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- If your shrimp is frozen, submerge the unopened package in a large bowl of cold water for 20 to 30 minutes, until it has thawed. Drain any excess liquid from the fresh or thawed shrimp and pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
- In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts or 16 cups of water with one tablespoon of salt to a boil on high heat.
- Add the spaghetti and cook in boiling water until it is "al dente" and is soft but still a little chewy.
- Drain the pasta water, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the now empty pot. Set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a medium skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shrimp, minced garlic, and sliced cherry tomatoes. Cook for about 4-6 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, and the cherry tomatoes begin to soften.
- Add lemon juice, black pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Pour the tomatoes and shrimp along with their sauce into the pot with the pasta and stir to combine. If your pasta seems a little dry, stir in ¼ cup of the pasta water. If it's still dry, continuing adding ¼ cup of pasta water and mixing.
- To serve, top with shredded parmesan and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Cook the pasta until it is al dente, which means it's still a little chewy, to avoid mushy pasta.
- Shrimp cooks super quickly, and if it's overcooked, it will be come rubbery. Cook the shrimp just until it is a light pink color.
- As soon as you add your spaghetti to the boiling water, stir the noodles. This helps prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)