Lemon Herb Pasta Shrimp (Printable)

Delightful linguine with zesty lemon, fresh herbs, and tender shrimp in a light olive oil sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 14 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz linguine or spaghetti

→ Fresh Aromatics

03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
05 - 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped (optional)

→ Pantry

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Additional lemon wedges
12 - Extra fresh herbs (optional)
13 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain pasta.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and butter to skillet. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, lemon zest, and lemon juice to skillet. Toss to combine evenly.
06 - Return shrimp to skillet. Add parsley and basil, tossing gently until shrimp and pasta are coated and heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs, lemon wedges, and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Recipe Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes flat, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
  • The shrimp stays tender and the pasta picks up the lemony brightness without any cream to weigh it down.
  • It tastes like restaurant food but costs a fraction of what you'd pay, and nobody needs to know how simple it really was.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the shrimp dry—I learned this the hard way after years of sad, steamed shrimp, and it's changed everything about how this dish turns out.
  • That reserved pasta water is magic; it has starch that actually binds the sauce, so don't just drain and discard it like most people do.
03 -
  • Buy shrimp the day you're cooking them, or thaw them in the fridge overnight—never under hot water where they absorb moisture and lose their texture.
  • The lemon zest matters as much as the juice because it adds flavor without the acidity, so don't skip it even if you're short on time.
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