Garlicky Lemon Shrimp Pasta — Buttery noodles with juicy plump shrimp, flavored with lemon and garlic!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes and it’s so EASY!
Table of Contents
Easy Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp
The angel hair pasta is perfectly al dente and wonderfully buttery. Angel hair is great to accompany this lemon garlic shrimp because it cooks so quickly and so do shrimp.
The shrimp are juicy, plump, and have so much flavor from the garlic. Make sure you don’t overcook them so they’re not rubbery or tough. Even large shrimp only take a couple minutes to cook through.
The lemon adds a wonderful brightness to the dish and is a perfect complement to shrimp. And anything tossed in butter automatically tastes great.
This lemon shrimp pasta is slightly garlicky, incredibly easy to make, and is a family favorite! This is the perfect weeknight meal because it looks incredibly fancy, but it actually takes about 15 minutes to make. Win!
Ingredients for Lemon Shrimp Pasta
This simple shrimp and angel hair pasta calls for just seven basic ingredients. I have them on hand most of the time, and you likely do as well!
To make this lemon butter shrimp pasta, you’ll need:
- Angel hair pasta
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic powder
- Large shrimp
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Lemon Shrimp Pasta
This is such an easy, 15-minute recipe for lemon butter shrimp pasta! Here’s a look at how the recipe comes together:
- Cook the angel hair pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet and cook the shrimp until done. Be sure to season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder at this stage.
- Add the lemon juice and zest, then add the cooked pasta to the skillet.
- Toss to coat in the lemon butter sauce.
Looking for More Shrimp Pasta Dishes?
If you loved this lemon butter shrimp and angel hair pasta, be sure to make my classic Shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe next!
Tips for Making Lemon Shrimp Pasta
Garlic: To save chopping time, and because I don’t like biting into little pieces of garlic no matter how small I mince it, I used garlic powder. Feel free to chop a clove or two of garlic and sauté it with the butter if you prefer garlic cloves.
Shrimp: Be sure to use raw shrimp in this recipe and not a pre-cooked variety. I worry that if you use pre-cooked shrimp, you’ll wind up overcooking them and making them rubbery.
Protein swap: I bet you could easily swap in diced chicken if you don’t have any shrimp on hand. Just note that chicken may need to cook a little longer than shrimp.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any size raw shrimp you’d like for this recipe. I prefer 12-15 count shrimp, but use whatever you have on hand or is easy to find in the seafood case at your grocery store.
Most likely, yes. However, I recommend using fresh shrimp in this lemon garlic shrimp pasta. The shrimp are the main event in this dish, so it’s important that you buy the best quality you can get your hands on.
I recommend a pretty large skillet with high sides for this recipe, because between the shrimp and the pasta you need something fairly large so everything can get tossed in all that delicious lemon butter. I have three favorite skillets for recipes like this that are heavy-bottomed, heavy-duty, and can go from stovetop to oven:
1. LeCreuest 2.25 Quart Braising Pan.The lid isn’t necessary for this recipe but will come in handy for something like my Pasta with Vodka Sauce recipe.
2. All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel 3-Quart Pan. There are hundreds of chicken dinners you will see photographed in this pan on my site. Here is also the Amazon link for the same All-Clad 3-Quart Pan.
3. All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Essential Pan, 4-Quart. This is the exact pan I used for this shrimp pasta dish and is another one that is a workhorse.
Recipe Substitutions to Try
One of the reasons I love this recipe for garlic lemon pasta with shrimp is that it’s quick, easy, and flexible!
Here are some ingredient swaps you can make, if needed:
- Pasta: Angel hair pasta cooks in a flash, but spaghetti or another long, skinny pasta will work too.
- Garlic: I used garlic powder, but use freshly minced garlic if preferred.
- Lemon juice: I bet some or all of the lemon juice could be replaced with white wine to make a white wine sauce.
- Butter: If all you have is salted butter, scale back the amount of salt called for in the recipe.
- Shrimp: Use diced chicken breasts or another type of fish if desired.
What to Serve with Lemon Shrimp Pasta
Storage
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
In the Freezer: This isn’t my favorite recipe to freeze due the texture changes of both the shrimp and the pasta, but technically it will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. But you can use your stove or whatever is best suited for you.
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Lemon Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions (half of a 1-pound box)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and cleaned with tails off (I prefer 12-15 count shrimp)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt. - Stir in the garlic powder.
- Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes total, or until just pink and cooked through. Flip shrimp halfway through cooking. Cooking time will vary based on size of shrimp and pan used; don’t overcook or shrimp will become rubbery and tough.
- Add the lemon juice, optional lemon zest, and stir briefly to combine.
- Turn the heat to low, add the pasta to skillet with the shrimp, and toss to combine and coat.
- Taste, check for seasoning balance, and make any desired tweaks (add more salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, etc.).
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dish is best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently prior to serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally published March 20, 2015 and republished April 1, 2020 and March 10, 2023 and March 15, 2024 with updated text.
Lemon spaghetti was one of the first things I learned to cook. Love it!! I’m sure the additions of garlic and shrimp are dynamite here.
Averie, this is exactly the type of recipe that my family loves too, very easy and simple to make a delicious weeknight meal, but also flavorful and comforting. Our refrigerator always hoards a bag of shrimp, so I always have some on hand for delicious recipes like this one.
That looks delicious!! Nice and easy to do. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Please ignore my first comment. I’m sorry, I just read your note about the garlic.
This looks delicious and I could just have this for lunch. May I ask though, why you didn’t use fresh garlic? I use garlic powder from time to time but usually prefer the taste of fresh garlic.
This is my kind of dinner – everything I love in one place!
Amen to one place and easy! Thanks for pinning, too :)
That looks soooo delicious! Yummy!
Greetings from Hamburg :-)
We have a similar recipe on dinner rotation at home and it’s one of our favorites. Oh, how we love buttery pasta with something lemony in it too. Yum.
This was one of the first dishes I ever learned to make and was always a hit with my family too. I can certainly vouch for its ease and deliciousness!!
Love me a great lemony pasta!!!
Averie this looks so delish!!
Simple, understated and yet… a work of art.
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
Oh, such goodness!!!!! I’m drooling!
These flavors are so classically YUM, and totally my kinda dinner! I adore all things shrimp, so I am loving this pot of buttery, noodle goodness! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
I love this dish..especially the pictures with the lemon slices they look so bright and colorful. I love angel hair pasta because it’s not as heavy as other pastas so the dish still feels light. Can ‘t wait to try. The cilantro lime chicken was a huge hit, having leftovers for lunch today.
Thanks for trying the cilantro lime chicken and glad you have some for lunch today, too!
I love angel hair because it cooks fast and totally agree, it’s so much lighter-feeling which I much prefer than heavy pasta dishes!
Garlic, butter and lemon is a great classic trio I love with any kind of seafood. This has a comfort food vibe to it but looks easy and delicious!!
Comfort food that’s lighter and fresh :)