Lemon Herb Pasta Shrimp (Printable)

Bright pasta dish featuring shrimp, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and garlic for a flavorful experience.

# 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:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Pat shrimp dry and lightly season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter to skillet. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add cooked pasta to skillet along with reserved pasta water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to coat evenly.
06 - Return shrimp to skillet, add parsley and basil, and gently toss until everything is heated through and coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with additional fresh herbs, lemon wedges, and Parmesan cheese as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Done in thirty minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner that actually tastes like you tried.
  • The lemon and shrimp combination is bright enough to feel fancy but honestly impossible to mess up.
  • One pan, mostly, so cleanup won't ruin your mood afterward.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and small; one to two minutes per side is really all they need, even though it feels too quick.
  • Reserving the pasta water is not optional—it's what makes the sauce actually coat the pasta instead of sitting pooled at the bottom of the pan.
  • This dish doesn't hold well, so make it when people are ready to eat it immediately.
03 -
  • Buy shrimp from a fishmonger if you can, and ask them to peel and devein it for you—most will do it for free and yours will be fresher than the pre-packaged kind.
  • Toast the empty skillet for thirty seconds before adding oil so it shimmers evenly, and your shrimp will sear instead of stew.
  • Grate lemon zest before you juice the lemon, unless you enjoy scraping pulp off a zester.
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