This velvety lemon garlic shrimp pasta recipe is a creamy 25-minute dinner for busy weeknights. The combination of buttery shrimp, zesty garlic, shallots and tender pasta coated in a lemon and parmesan cream sauce is simply heavenly!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Flavorful: This creamy pasta is bursting with fresh and robust flavors. With the bright and citrusy lemon juice and zest, fragrant shallots and fresh garlic, each bite is better than the last!
- Oh-So-Creamy: The tangy parmesan cream sauce is loaded with richness from the heavy cream and butter. It is the perfect pairing for the juicy shrimp and tender pasta.
- Quick: This is a super quick and easy dinner, ready in under 30 minutes! While it is easy enough for a weeknight, it’s also perfect for an at-home date night!
Looking for more easy, 30-minute pasta dinners? Try our favorite easy taco pasta, well seasoned cajun shrimp pasta, or one-pot chicken bacon ranch pasta!
Recipe Ingredients
Garlic and shallots add loads of flavor to the silky lemon sauce. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Fettuccine: Spaghetti or angel hair pasta are also great in this recipe.
- Butter
- Shallots: You can use a diced yellow onion instead.
- Garlic: Go for fresh garlic for the best flavor!
- Shrimp: Medium to large shrimp are best for a buttery, plump interior.
- Lemon: You’ll need the juice and zest of 1 lemon.
- Heavy Cream: Half-and-half is a good swap, but your sauce will not be as creamy.
- Salt and Pepper: We prefer kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Parmesan Cheese: You want the freshly grated parmesan cheese sold in the refrigerated cheese section, not the kind in the green shaker can.
How To Make Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
It’s just like making your favorite creamy Alfredo pasta, but with a burst of tangy lemon and zest. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full detailed instructions.
- Boil the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions, in salted water, until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté the Shrimp: Melt the butter in a large pan. Stir in the shallots and garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add the shrimp and lemon juice, cooking until the shrimp begin to curl. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: Stir the cream into the pan and bring it to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the parmesan cheese, stirring often, and cook until slightly thickened.
- Combine and Serve: Add the pasta and shrimp and gently toss until completely coated. Garnish the pasta with zest, parmesan, and parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Cook’s Tips & Tricks
- Watch the Sauce: Don’t let the sauce thicken too much or it won’t be able to coat all the pasta properly. If it begins to thicken, add heavy cream or pasta water as needed to thin it out.
- Use Fresh Cheese: Do not use the green shaker can style parmesan cheese that does not need refrigeration. This type of cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that work as a thickener in sauces. It can also turn our sauce grainy!
- Add Veggies: Stir in chopped artichoke hearts or chopped roasted asparagus during the last 5 minutes of cooking, or until heated through.
- Make it Vegetarian: Leave out the shrimp and use extra-firm tofu or crispy chickpeas instead!
- Add Heat: Sprinkle about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper over the shrimp as you sauté them. You can also sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over the finished pasta for garnish.
What To Serve With Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Salad: Serve it with any side salad you enjoy, we love it with this wilted lettuce salad or a fresh arugala salad served with our lemon balsamic vinaigrette.
- Bread: A piece of crusty french bread, or our homemade garlic bread, is always a good idea with a serving of creamy shrimp pasta!
- Vegetables: Some steamed or roasted veggies would round out your plate! Try our parmesan roasted broccoli, air fryer Brussels sprouts or impressive green beans almondine!
How To Store Leftovers
This creamy pasta with shrimp, lemon, and garlic is best served fresh. You can absolutely save the leftovers, they just will never be as creamy as they were right after cooking.
- Store: Place cooled pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Add 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, and microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan (covered) over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little extra cream, if needed.
- Freeze: We do not recommend freezing this pasta, the cream sauce will separate.
Yield: 4 servings
Creamy Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
This creamy and zesty lemon garlic shrimp pasta recipe with parmesan sauce and an herby parsley garnish is an easy 30-minute dinner you'll love. Serve it with a slice of crusty garlic bread and watch how quickly it disappears!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, or half and half
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- lemon zest, optional garnish
- fresh parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- For the pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is boiling, in a medium size skillet over medium-high heat melt the butter. Add the shallots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the shrimp and lemon juice, sautéing until they begin to curl and turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the shrimp are cooked, transfer them to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Pour the heavy cream into the skillet, constantly whisking, bring to a simmer. Then turn the heat to medium-low and add the salt and pepper. Continue simmering and whisking for about 10 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken. Add the parmesan cheese and whisk until the cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
- Add the shrimp and pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce and serve immediately. Garnish with lemon zest, Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Store: Place cooled pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Add 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, and microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan (covered) over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little extra cream, if needed.
Fresh Cheese: Do not use the green shaker can style parmesan cheese that does not need refrigeration. This type of cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that work as a thickener in sauces. It can also turn our sauce grainy!
Add Veggies: Stir in chopped artichoke hearts or chopped roasted asparagus during the last 5 minutes of cooking, or until heated through.
Add Heat: Sprinkle about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper over the shrimp as you sauté them. You can also sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over the finished pasta for garnish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 526kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 28g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 277mg, Sodium: 1245mg, Potassium: 299mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1889IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 243mg, Iron: 1mg
