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Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta: Best 20-Minute Easy Dinner

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This creamy garlic butter shrimp pasta comes together in under 20 minutes with simple ingredients like butter, garlic, shrimp, and Parmesan. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner that feels fancy but is incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces (225g) linguine or fettuccine
  • Salt (for pasta water)
  • 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) reserved pasta water
  • 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Toss with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes without moving. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes until pink and opaque. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Scrape up browned bits. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 30-45 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in heavy cream and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  6. Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss with tongs until coated. Add more pasta water if needed.
  8. Return shrimp to the skillet and gently fold in. Warm through for about 1 minute.
  9. Remove from heat, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

Notes

Reserve more pasta water than needed for thinning sauce. Grate your own Parmesan for smooth melting. Don’t overcook shrimp; they are done when pink and curled into a loose C shape. If sauce breaks, whisk in a splash of cold pasta water.

Nutrition

Keywords: creamy garlic butter shrimp pasta, easy shrimp pasta, 20-minute dinner, weeknight pasta, garlic butter shrimp

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/creamy-garlic-butter-shrimp-pasta-best-20-minute-easy-dinner/