If you love quick, flavorful meals, this garlic butter noodles with shrimp recipe is about to become a weeknight favorite. With buttery noodles, perfectly sautéed shrimp, and a hint of citrus and wine, this dish is amazingly rich. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, yet impressive enough for guests.
This butter garlic shrimp spaghetti uses simple ingredients to create bold, savory flavor layers. The garlic butter base is balanced with a splash of dry white wine and lemon juice, adding brightness and depth. You can also check out our hibachi shrimp recipe for another quick and tasty seafood dinner.
Lemon butter shrimp pasta can be made with frozen shrimp—just thaw it overnight in the fridge and pat it dry before cooking. The dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy nights or last-minute guests.
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Why We Love This Butter Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
- It’s fast but feels fancy.
Garlic butter noodles with shrimp taste like a dish you’d get at a restaurant, but they come together in just 30 minutes with pantry staples. - Perfectly balanced flavor.
The rich butter and garlic are brightened by lemon juice and wine, making each bite deeply satisfying without feeling heavy. - Customizable and family-friendly.
You can make this recipe with your favorite pasta, add veggies like spinach or peas, or make it creamy for a new twist.
Spaghetti-based dinners are so family-friendly! Check out our Rotel chicken spaghetti and easy Instant Pot spaghetti bolognese
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Spaghetti: use any long pasta like angel hair or fettuccine.
- Butter: adds richness and helps brown the shrimp.
- Avocado oil: alternatively you may use olive oil.
- Shrimp: large, peeled, and deveined shrimp are ideal.
- Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes: use to your personal preference.
- Dry white wine: enhances the sauce; substitute with broth if needed.
- Garlic: freshly minced garlic brings the boldest flavor but you can substitute with your preferred amount of powdered garlic.
- Lemon juice and zest: use fresh lemons for the best taste but if needed you can substitute for store bought lemon juice.
- Italian seasoning: adds herby depth.
- Parmesan cheese: melts into the pasta for creamy texture.
- Parsley: adds a fresh, colorful finish.
Recipe Variations
- Make a creamy sauce by stirring in heavy cream or use milk and whisk in a cup of the pasta water at the end to make creamy shrimp pasta.
- Turn it into shrimp scampi by doubling the garlic and butter.
- Swap the shrimp for scallops or smoked chicken for variety.
- Make a spicy version with a dash of sriracha or red pepper flakes.
No matter which variation you go with, pasta is always better with a side of bread—perfect for soaking up every last drop of that delicious sauce! Try our sourdough French bread with this recipe.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Stock pot
- Colander
- Lemon juicer
- Lemon zester
- Sauté pan or skillet
How to Make Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta
- Cook the spaghetti
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, adding a pinch of salt to the pasta cooking water. Cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. - Sauté the shrimp
In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter and avocado oil over low to medium heat. Once the butter is melted and the bubbling subsides, add the peeled shrimp along with the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are opaque and pink throughout.
- Add the sauce ingredients
Stir in the white wine, minced fresh garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Simmer for 1 minute.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Zest the lemon before juicing to get the most flavor out of your citrus. Always pat your shrimp dry with paper towels for the best sear and texture.
- Combine with pasta
Add the drained cooked pasta to the pan with cooked shrimp and toss until well combined.
- Finish and serve
Remove the pan from the heat. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve garlic butter shrimp pasta warm.
Serving Suggestions
This lemon butter shrimp pasta is a complete meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a side salad or crusty bread. For a perfect pairing, serve it with a chilled glass of pinot grigio or another dry white wine. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette complements the richness of the pasta. This is the perfect weeknight dinner.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Don’t overcook the shrimp! Cook it just until it turns pink and opaque to keep it tender and juicy shrimp.
Recipe FAQs
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It’s best to enjoy this dish fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.
A dry white like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio complements the sauce well.
Yes, but make sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry before cooking.
Yes, sautéed vegetables like asparagus, spinach, or bell peppers are great additions.
More Pasta Recipes to Love…
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Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp
Equipment
- stock pot - for cooking pasta
- colander - for draining pasta
- citrus zester
- juicer for lemon
- saute pan or large skillet
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti may also use any long pasta, like angel hair or fettuccine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 pound shrimp large, peeled, deveined, tail off
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ cup dry white wine substitute with broth if needed
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2-3 tablespoons parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, adding a pinch of salt to the pasta water. Cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large sauté pan or large skillet, melt butter and avocado oil over low to medium heat. Once the butter has stopped bubbling, add the shrimp. Sprinkle shrimp with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until pink and opaque.
- Stir in the white wine, minced fresh garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with shrimp and toss until well combined. Remove the pan from the heat. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve garlic butter shrimp pasta while hot.
Notes
- Make a creamy sauce by stirring in heavy cream or use milk and whisk in a cup of the pasta water at the end to make creamy shrimp pasta.
- Turn it into shrimp scampi by doubling the garlic and butter.
- Swap the shrimp for scallops or smoked chicken for variety.
- Make a spicy version with a dash of sriracha or red pepper flakes.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Shrimp pasta is best fresh, but leftovers can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
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