Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta with Lemon
A rich, garlicky, lemony creamy shrimp pasta that comes together in minutes and tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
Pasta
- 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh
For the shrimp/prawns
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 grams raw shrimp or prawns peeled and deveined, see notes
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic finely diced
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (chili flakes)
- ¾ cup cream
- 50 grams parmesan very finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus zest to serve
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ packed cup Italian parsley finely chopped (you should have about 2 tablespoons chopped)
Instructions
- Boil your pasta in well salted boiling water, see notes below for the perfect ratio of salt to water! Reserve a cup of water before draining.
- Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium - high heat. Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper right before frying.
- Sear for 1 minute each side until just cooked through. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and in the same pan add 1 tablespoon of butter and then the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds - 1 minute.
- Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer, turn the heat down if you need, it should only be bubbling very gently.
- Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any brown bits from cooking the shrimp.
- Add the parmesan in 2 or 3 separate lots, mixing and letting it melt in between each addition.
- Add ¼ cup of pasta water and let it gently simmer for 2 - 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add the lemon juice and mix in quickly (if you have ever had trouble with lemon juice curdling a sauce then add it at same time as pasta)
- Add the cooked pasta in and toss well, let it gently bubble away in the sauce for 1 - 2 minutes to thicken. Add more pasta water if you need.
- You want it to seem a bit too saucy in the pan as creamy sauces dry up so quickly off the heat.
- Toss through the parsley followed by the prawns to warm through.
- Serve with finely grated lemon zest and some extra parsley on top.
Video
Notes
Shrimp (or prawns) -I used thawed frozen shrimp, but the flavor is even better with fresh. I like to keep the tails on for extra flavor and presentation, but use whatever you prefer. If using frozen shrimp, make sure they’re fully thawed, rinsed, and patted very dry before frying so they sear properly.
Red pepper flakes - Adjust for your spice preference, start with ¼ teaspoon and you can always top up the finished dish with an extra sprinkle.
Water and salt for pasta - You don't need as much water as you think to boil pasta. For 200 grams of pasta (2 people) I use 1.5L water and 1 tablespoon salt.
Timing - You'll get the hang of timing it so the pasta is ready at the right time to add straight into the sauce. If it is ready early then reserve a cup of the pasta water, drain and then toss a knob of butter through the pasta to stop it overcooking and sticking together.
Add a different protein - This is a fantastic base recipe for other proteins (or vegetables!) Try chicken, salmon, or even zucchini or asparagus. If you want more inspiration, check out my very popular Creamy Chicken Pasta or Creamy Salmon Pasta.