Description
A flavorful and easy-to-make Shrimp Pasta featuring succulent shrimp, burst cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a hint of crushed red pepper, tossed with linguine and fresh parsley for a bright, satisfying meal perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound long pasta, such as linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), for boiling water
Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp (18 to 20 count), tails on or off
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic (about 7 cloves)
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
- Lemon zest, for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, for seasoning shrimp
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for tomatoes
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander and return it to the pot.
- Prepare the shrimp and sauce base: While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until it turns lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Cook the tomatoes and spices: Add the cherry or grape tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst and released their juices, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the wine and pasta water: Pour in the white wine and reserved pasta water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Cook the shrimp: Stir in the seasoned shrimp and cook until they just start to turn opaque, approximately 3 minutes.
- Toss pasta and finish: Pour the sauce and shrimp over the drained pasta in the pot. Toss well to combine. Stir in the chopped parsley and toss again to evenly distribute the herbs.
- Serve: Transfer the shrimp pasta to serving bowls. Garnish with lemon zest, extra fresh parsley, and additional crushed red pepper if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water as it contains starch that helps bind the sauce to the pasta.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper.
- Tail-on shrimp can add presentation appeal, but tails-off is easier to eat.
- Use fresh white wine that you enjoy drinking for best flavor.
- To make this dish gluten-free, substitute the pasta with gluten-free noodles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: shrimp pasta, garlic shrimp pasta, easy shrimp pasta, Italian seafood pasta, quick pasta recipe, linguine with shrimp, tomato shrimp pasta
