An easy lemon shrimp pasta, packed with tons of flavor from garlic, fresh herbs and lemon, a generous bit of butter, and lots of Parmesan cheese. A favorite quick pasta dish for busy weeknight dinners! Gluten-free friendly.

A bowl of shrimp pasta with garlic, lemon, and herbs on a white linen background.

Fresh and Easy Weeknight Shrimp Pasta

Pasta is always one of our go-to easy dinners. We have a million different pasta shapes in the pantry, and olive oil, butter, garlic, and herbs – the start to just about every great pasta dish – are never far away.

When the weather starts to warm up, shrimp is one of our favorite proteins to add to the mix, and there’s no better companion to seafood than fresh lemon, so often, some version of this garlicky lemon herb shrimp pasta is on the menu.

This is a pasta dish that cooks fast. It’s perfect for weeknights because you can easily make the sauce in the time that it takes for the pasta to cook, and the whole beautiful bowl of goodness – dusted with Parmesan and packed with bright and savory flavor – can be on the table in less than half an hour. Happy cooking!!

A close up of lemon shrimp pasta with bucatini, garlic, and herbs.

Garlic and Lemon Shrimp Pasta Ingredients:

With the exception of possibly the shrimp, all of the ingredients for this lemony pasta dish are simple, pantry staples in our house, and likely for you too! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

  • pasta: I used bucatini pasta here, but any long pasta shape will do. Spaghetti, linguine, capellini (angel hair pasta), or fettuccine are all great options.
  • shrimp: of course! You can use fresh or frozen raw shrimp. I like to shoot for large shrimp (somewhere in the 20 to 30 count per pound range) and prefer using wild shrimp when available. However there’s lots of flexibility here. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time if you use a smaller sized shrimp, as they can go fast!
  • butter and olive oil: the simple garlic lemon sauce begins with a combination of extra-virgin olive oil and a generous amount of butter.
  • garlic and herbs: for tons of flavor, we’ll add garlic, fresh parsley, and basil. If you like some spice, you can also add some crushed red pepper flakes.
  • lemon: you’ll need a whole lemon, as we’re using both fresh lemon juice and zest for lots of bright and fresh lemon flavor. I’ve used a Meyer lemon here (which almost looks like an orange!).
  • salt and pepper: to enhance all the other flavors.
  • parmesan cheese: for that cheesy, salty, umami-packed finish that pasta would be woefully incomplete without!

Find all the exact ingredients and measurements in the recipe card, below.

A bowl of shrimp pasta with garlic, lemon, and herbs on a white linen background.

How to Make a Quick Shrimp Pasta with Lemon and Garlic:

This shrimp pasta recipe comes together quickly in about 20 minutes, or about as long as it takes to make a pot of pasta from start to finish. Here’s how you make it:

  1. Start your pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook al dente in generously salted water. Reserve some starchy pasta water for the sauce.
  2. Cook the shrimp. Soften the garlic and herbs in butter and olive oil, then cook the shrimp, a couple minutes per side until pink and opaque. Add the lemon juice and zest, and more butter.
  3. Toss with the pasta. Season well with salt and pepper and dust with Parmesan. Thin the sauce with the reserved pasta water, as needed.

Divide between bowls, and garnish with more fresh basil or parsley and Parmesan cheese. If you like a little spice you can also add some red pepper flakes!

A bowl of lemon shrimp pasta with garlic, lemon, and herbs on a white linen background.

Ready for More Weeknight Pasta? Try These Next:

If you make this lemon shrimp pasta recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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A bowl of shrimp pasta with garlic, lemon, and herbs on a white linen background.

Garlicky Lemon Shrimp Pasta

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  • Author: Laura Bolton – Fork Knife Swoon
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2–4 Servings 1x
  • Category: Savory, Dinner, Seafood
  • Method: Sautee
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

An easy lemon shrimp pasta, packed with tons of flavor from garlic, fresh herbs and lemon, a generous bit of butter, and lots of Parmesan cheese. A favorite quick pasta dish for busy weeknight dinners! Gluten-free friendly.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz dry pasta (spaghetti, bucatini, linguini, etc.)
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined ¹
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
  • 1/2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
  • half of one small lemon, juiced and zested ²
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • optional: 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously and add your pasta. Cook al dente, according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water for the sauce before draining.
  2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, herbs, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for about 30 seconds, until softened.
  3. Add the shrimp in an even layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook 1-2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque. Watch them carefully and be sure not to overcook or they will become tough. Transfer to a plate and tent lightly with foil to keep warm until the pasta finishes cooking.
  4. Turn the heat down to low, add the remaining butter, and lemon juice and zest to the pan, and stir until melted and combined.
  5. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with the Parmesan and about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss with the garlic butter sauce and add the shrimp. Season well with salt and pepper, to taste. Thin the sauce with more reserved pasta water, as needed.
  6. Divide between bowls, and garnish with more fresh basil or parsley and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!

Equipment

Notes

¹ Look for large shrimp (somewhere in the 20 to 30 count per pound range). You can use fresh or frozen (and defrosted) shrimp. Also, while leaving the tail on the shrimp is much prettier for presentation, it’s a lot easier to eat if you remove the tails first!

² Start with about 1 Tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest and adjust according to your tastes. If you can find them, Meyer lemons are my favorite choice.

Make it gluten-free: simply use a gluten-free pasta of your choice.

Keywords: lemon shrimp pasta, garlic butter, herb, seafood, easy pasta