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Simple Shrimp Pasta

Simple Shrimp Pasta is my weeknight hero — fast, flavorful, and fancy without the fuss. Juicy shrimp, garlic, olive oil, and lemon come together in under 20 minutes for a cozy, no‑stress dinner that tastes restaurant‑worthy but feels homey.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz shrimp fresh or frozen, peeled and deveined
  • 8 oz pasta linguine, spaghetti, or penne
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
  • 3 –4 cloves garlic minced
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • Fresh parsley chopped
  • Optional: cherry tomatoes spinach, cream, white wine, or jarred sauce

Method
 

  1. Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add paprika if you want extra flavor.
  2. Cook the pasta in well‑salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  3. Heat olive oil or butter in a pan and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
  4. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until they turn pink and form a loose “C” shape.
  5. Choose your sauce style: lemony (lemon + olive oil), creamy (cream + Parmesan), tomato (marinara + garlic), or white wine (wine + butter + garlic).
  6. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss everything together, adding pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the noodles.
  7. Stir in Parmesan and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Serve warm with garlic bread, salad, or roasted veggies.