20 minutes or less is all it takes to make this bright garlic shrimp pasta recipe! Prepared Mediterranean-style and tossed in a light sauce with garlic, onions, white wine, and lemon juice.
We’re pasta lovers around here, but there is a reason this one is top of my family’s list. Shrimp and pasta are a match made in heaven!
I’ll often serve my shrimp scampi over angel hair pasta. But this time, I tossed the shrimp in a a light Mediterranean sauce–with garlic, fresh tomatoes, white wine, and lemon juice. It is next level delicious.
This garlic shrimp pasta recipe is like fine dining in the comfort of your own home. Best part, you can make it in 20 minutes or less!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you need to make this shrimp pasta recipe:
- Pasta: I used spaghetti, but shrimp pasta isn’t picky. Use any pasta shape you like or have on hand.
- Seasoning: Dried oregano, red pepper flakes (or Aleppo pepper), kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Dry white wine: It doesn’t need to be expensive, but use a something tasty enough to drink (I used Pinot Grigio).
- Olive oil: Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor.
- Shrimp: Frozen shrimp works great! Simply thaw it overnight in your fridge, or in a bag in cold water for 20 minutes or so.
- READ MORE: Guide to Buying and Cooking Shrimp
- Red onion: Swap with yellow onion, white onion, or shallot.
- Garlic: Green onion can also work here, or simply reduce the amount if you’re sensitive to garlic.
- Lemon zest and juice: Lime could work in a pinch.
- Parsley: Swap with basil or dill.
- Tomatoes: Use grape or cherry tomatoes if it’s off-season, as they tend to be sweeter.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a good umami-boost, but simply leave it off for a dairy free option.
How to Make Shrimp Pasta
Everything comes together quickly, so it’s best to get your prep done first. Here’s the step-by-step:
- Get ready. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Chop 1/2 of a red onion. Mince 5 garlic cloves. Zest and juice 1 lemon, and chop 2-3 vine-ripe tomatoes. Ready yourself 1 cup of chopped parsley. Peel and deveigh 1 pound of large shrimp.
- Cook the pasta. Salt the boiling water generously and add 3/4 pound spaghetti. Cook according to package to al dente (about 9 minutes). Reserve a half cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
- Meanwhile, cook the shrimp. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp. Cook until pink on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a side plate for now.
- Saute the aromatics. Add little more extra virgin olive oil to the pan, if needed. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper). Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup dry white wine and scrape up any pieces of garlic and onions. Cook the wine for 1 minute to reduce, then add the lemon zest and juice.
- Combine. Add the chopped parsley, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Toss about for about 30 to 40 seconds, then add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss to coat, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to make a glossy sauce.
- Finish and serve. Toss in the cooked shrimp and allow to warm through briefly, about 30 seconds. Remove the pasta from heat. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and more red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper. Serve immediately!
What to Serve with Garlicky Shrimp Pasta
You really only need a bright and crunchy salad to round out the meal. Try an easy lemony lettuce salad, or simply toss greens in any of theses healthy salad dressings.
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Ingredients
- 3/4 pound spaghetti
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper)
- 1 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Large handful chopped fresh parsley (about 1 packed cup)
- 2 to 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
- Black pepper
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt generously and add the spaghetti. Cook according to package to al dente (about 9 minutes). Reserve a half cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
- Meanwhile, cook the shrimp. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp. Cook until pink on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a side plate for now.
- Saute the aromatics. Add little more olive oil to the pan, if needed. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes (I used Aleppo-style pepper). Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and scrape up any pieces of garlic and onions. Cook the wine for 1 minute to reduce, then add the lemon zest and juice.
- Combine. Add the chopped parsley, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss about for about 30 to 40 seconds, then add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss to coat, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to make a glossy sauce.
- Finish and serve. Toss in the cooked shrimp and allow to warm through briefly, about 30 seconds. Remove the pasta from heat. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and more red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper. Serve immediately!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Love this Shrimp Pasta recipe! Could you tell me the name of the All Clad oval heating/serving cookware? Can’t find it anywhere- thanks!
Hi, Mark! Here is a link for the All Clad piece I use here: https://amzn.to/3cXcnKj.
This is another recipe from this site to add to our favorites! It was a big hit in my house.
Awesome! Thanks, Lisa!
Hi, Suzy, I’m so glad I found you! Just recently figured out that dairy is causing IBS flare ups. Your recipes are really helping me learn how to eliminate dairy from my cooking. We love eating this way.
Question: I’m not good with cooking seafood. I keep cleaned, cooked shrimp in my freezer. How can I use this in your recipes? Is it just a matter of warming it up and seasoning it?
Hi, Kim! Welcome to The Mediterranean Dish! Yes, if you are using shrimp that is already cooked, you really just want to throw it in at the end of the recipe to heat up. If you leave it there too long, it will become over cooked.
My husband and I loved this! I used a touch more olive oil than the recipe indicated. The flavors were outstanding.
Thanks, Linda!
I’ve made this twice, forgetting what I didn’t like the first time. I use a lot of your recipes, and enjoy them , but this one needs some adjustment. I found that there was too much wine, and the addition of the lemon and zest (which I use a lot in cooking) gave this dish a bitter/sour taste. I’m not sure what it needs, but I think it should be reviewed. Hope you can adjust the recipe, I use a lot of shrimp and always needs to find new ways to cook them.
That said, I make your souvlaki chicken all the time, get lots of compliments.
I just made this for the first time & found the same thing — as soon as I added all the lemon & zest its aroma immediately overpowered the others, which worried me.
Unfortunately, I also found it lent a bitter/sour flavor to the dish. I loved everything else about this recipe so I’ll try it again, but will cut the lemon in half, if not more.
Try washing and rinsing the lemon thoroughly before juicing and zesting it to get rid of all of the germs, pesticide residues, dirt, etc. that could affect the flavor of your food! One lemon (unless it’s a ridiculously huge lemon, lol!) is not enough to overpower a pot full of pasta!
Using only one lemon (it’s zest and juice) would not overpower a pot full of pasta noodles, unless you used an extraordinarily large lemon! Did you take care to wash the lemon thoroughly before zesting and juicing it? You must wash and rinse all produce thoroughly before consuming it to remove germs, pesticide residues, dirt, etc. This recipe is amazingly delicious as is…and the majority of reviewers agree, so, tbch, you and David below must have done something wrong, just sayin’! I’ve cooked lots and lots of Suzy’s recipes and they always turn out great! Thanks, Suzy!
Hi Suzy
You use alot of extra virgin olive oil. What about extra fine olive oil?
Cheers
Selena
Hi, Selena! I’m afraid I’m unfamiliar with “extra fine olive oil.” Did you mean to type something else?
So yummy!!
I used vegetable broth instead of the wine. I loved it.
Awesome! I’m so glad that worked out for you. Thanks for sharing!!
Another delicious recipe! My son loved it!! I love that it took me a very short time to make this dinner!
Wonderful! That’s so great to hear!
What could I use instead of the wine?
Hi, Evelyn! You can use a bit of broth in place of the wine. The flavor profile will be a little different, but it will provide the liquid needed for the sauce.
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You are very sweet, Van. Thank you!
Super good and family loved it thank you!!
That’s great to hear! Thanks, Diane!
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I prepare a lot of Mediterranean dishes but this one hits it out of the ballpark! Definitely a new go to recipe for my husband and me and can’t wait to cook it for friends and family. Thanks Suzy!!!
My pleasure, Megan! So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was fantastic! Bright, flavorful, and delicious. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Henna!
This pasta looks so delicious! I cannot wait to grab a fork and dig in!
Go for it!!! You’ll LOVE it!
Not difficult to prepare and was a nice, light tasting dish with great flavors . I may cut the amount of lemon next time to accommodate wife’s palate. I used a Sicilian white wine (lucido grape). Family agreed it should be “in the rotation”
Awesome! Thanks, Andrew!
I made this recipe and it was so delicious! I can’t wait to make it again!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks, Nyla!