Garlicky Lemon Shrimp Pasta — Buttery noodles with juicy plump shrimp, flavored with lemon and garlic!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes and it’s so EASY!!
Easy Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp
The angel hair pasta is perfectly al dente and wonderfully buttery. Angel hair is great to accompany this lemon garlic shrimp because it cooks so quickly and so do shrimp.
The shrimp are juicy, plump, and have so much flavor from the garlic. Make sure you don’t overcook them so they’re not rubbery or tough. Even large shrimp only take a couple minutes to cook through.
The lemon adds a wonderful brightness to the dish and is a perfect complement to shrimp. And anything tossed in butter automatically tastes great.
This lemon garlic shrimp pasta is slightly garlicky, incredibly easy to make, and is a family favorite! This is the perfect weeknight meal because it looks incredibly fancy, but it actually takes about 15 minutes to make. Win!
Ingredients for Lemon Shrimp Pasta
This simple shrimp and angel hair pasta calls for just seven basic ingredients. I have them on hand most of the time, and you likely do as well!
To make this garlic lemon pasta with shrimp, you’ll need:
- Angel hair pasta
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic powder
- Large shrimp
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
What Size Shrimp Should I Use?
You can use any size raw shrimp you’d like for this recipe. I prefer 12-15 count shrimp, but use whatever you have on hand or is easy to find in the seafood case at your grocery store.
Can I Use Frozen Shrimp?
Most likely, yes. However, I recommend using fresh shrimp in this lemon garlic shrimp pasta. The shrimp are the main event in this dish, so it’s important that you buy the best quality you can get your hands on.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
This is such an easy, 15-minute recipe for lemon shrimp pasta! Here’s a look at how the recipe comes together:
- Cook the angel hair pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet and cook the shrimp until done. Be sure to season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder at this stage.
- Add the lemon juice and zest, then add the cooked pasta to the skillet.
- Toss to coat in the lemon butter sauce.
What Skillet Should I Use?
I recommend a pretty large skillet with high sides for this recipe, because between the shrimp and the pasta you need something fairly large so everything can get tossed in all that delicious lemon butter.
Shopping for cookware is an investment and you want to make sure you do your research so you select the items most useful to you with your cooking style and needs in mind.
I have three favorite skillets for recipes like this that are heavy-bottomed, heavy-duty, and can go from stovetop to oven:
- LeCreuest 2.25 Quart Braising Pan.The lid isn’t necessary for this recipe but will come in handy for something like my Pasta with Vodka Sauce recipe.
- All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel 3-Quart Pan. There are hundreds of chicken dinners you will see photographed in this pan on my site. Here is also the Amazon link for the same All-Clad 3-Quart Pan.
- All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Essential Pan, 4-Quart. This is the exact pan I used for this Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta recipe and is another one that is a workhorse Another favorite recipe to make in this pan is Chicken Pad Thai because it holds a ton!
What to Serve with Lemon Shrimp Pasta
This bright and lemony shrimp angel hair pasta pairs well with roasted vegetables, a simple side salad, and the like.
If you need some side dish ideas to get you started, here are some of my favorites to pair with lemon shrimp pasta:
- Cheesy Roasted Asparagus
- Rainbow Roasted Vegetables
- Parmesan Balsamic Roasted Broccoli
- Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Kale Strawberry Avocado Salad
- Spinach Apple Salad
Recipe Substitutions to Try
One of the reasons I love this recipe for garlic lemon pasta with shrimp is that it’s quick, easy, and flexible!
Here are some ingredient swaps you can make, if needed:
- Pasta: Angel hair pasta cooks in a flash, but spaghetti or another long, skinny pasta will work too.
- Garlic: I used garlic powder, but use freshly minced garlic if preferred.
- Lemon juice: I bet some or all of the lemon juice could be replaced with white wine to make a white wine sauce.
- Butter: If all you have is salted butter, scale back the amount of salt called for in the recipe.
- Shrimp: Use diced chicken breasts or another type of fish if desired.
Tips for Making Lemon Shrimp Pasta
Garlic: To save chopping time, and because I don’t like biting into little pieces of garlic no matter how small I mince it, I used garlic powder. Feel free to chop a clove or two of garlic and sauté it with the butter if you prefer garlic cloves.
Shrimp: Be sure to use raw shrimp in this recipe and not a pre-cooked variety. I worry that if you use pre-cooked shrimp, you’ll wind up overcooking them and making them rubbery.
Protein swap: I bet you could easily swap in diced chicken if you don’t have any shrimp on hand. Just note that chicken may need to cook a little longer than shrimp.
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Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta
Buttery noodles with juicy plump shrimp, flavored with lemon and garlic!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that's ready in 15 minutes and it's so EASY!!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions (half of a 1-pound box)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and cleaned with tails off (I prefer 12-15 count shrimp)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt. - Stir in the garlic powder.
- Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes total, or until just pink and cooked through. Flip shrimp halfway through cooking. Cooking time will vary based on size of shrimp and pan used; don’t overcook or shrimp will become rubbery and tough.
- Add the lemon juice, optional lemon zest, and stir briefly to combine.
- Turn the heat to low, add the pasta to skillet with the shrimp, and toss to combine and coat.
- Taste, check for seasoning balance, and make any desired tweaks (add more salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, etc.).
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dish is best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently prior to serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 430Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 300mgSodium: 1348mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 29g
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Originally published March 20, 2015 and republished April 1, 2020 and March 10, 2023 with updated text.
Sooooo good. I added old bay on t&e shrimp and a tiny bit of parmesan but I know it would have been amazing the way you wrote it
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it turned out so well! The Old Bay + Parm I’m sure made it extra delish!
Really quick and the kids loved it! Added a bit of parsley for some green but as a Dad cooking for the family it was so easy to cook.
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was quick and the kids loved it! Good job cooking for the family, dad!
Made this dish …delicious! I used Kerry gold butter and because my husband likes his seafood a bit spicy, I used just a dash of old bay HOT seasoning. We had fresh steamed broccoli on the side …but I bet it would have been just as good cooked right in the dish itself. Definitely will make this again! Loved it!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a winner and that you’ll definitely make it again!
I made this for dinner on a week night and it was a hit with my husband and I. For a recipe so simple and with so few ingredients, it sure was delicious! I added in 3 cloves of thinly sliced garlic for extra garlic flavour and it was amazing. I will definitely be making this again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was amazing and you’ll make it again!
I made this for our family. They LOVED it. It was requested for Father’s Day dinner. I doubled the recipe and there wasn’t a noodle left!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad your family loved it and even with a double recipe there was none left!
All shrimp is frozen at sea when harvested. The “fresh” shrimp you find in the store is frozen shrimp that has been thawed. Better to buy it frozen and defrost yourself than have it thawed and sitting in the store. Google it.
Not necessarily in all locales in all locations in every city in the world. I many times get my fresh shrimp fresh from the local fishermen and watch them come in with it from their boat. It has never been frozen whatsoever.
I cannot cook well, but I keep on trying. I followed the easy directions and my husband actually was very surprised and said it was really good. I was surprised.
Made this last night! It was DELICIOUS. So good in fact, there were no leftovers.
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was delicious and there were no leftovers!
Such a delicious recipe! I made this last night with Trader Joe’s frozen shrimp and it was so yummy! The lemon juice and zest balance out the butter nicely and when mixed with the pasta – so good! The pasta and the shrimp both cooked for 4 minutes so dinner came together quickly – a win win!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a win-win! Good to know that TJ’s frozen shrimp worked just fine for you, too!
OH THIS WAS SO VERY GOOD & SO EASY! I AM 89 & LIVE ALONE, EASY RECIPES ARE HARD TO FIND ESPECIALLY SO YUMMWITH PICTURES. THANK YOU!
Thanks for the 5 star review and good for you Carol, living alone at 89 and cooking for yourself! Wow…im so impressed! I hope that when I am your age I am doing half as good as you are! Using the internet, cooking from online recipes, I wish you could teach your peers what you know!
Stay safe and in the house! All the best to you!
How do you suggest to reheat?
Very gently in the microwave after you’ve let it come up to room temp on the counter top.
Loved this! Simple and delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it!
This recipe was so easy and tasteful. I almost ate it all myself. Very delicious.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it!
Very fresh ! Just needed a bit more salt over all family loved it!
Glad your family loved it!
Loved this! Super easy to make, and delicious! Definitely will make again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will definitely make it again!
SO easy and so yummy! Perfect for busy weeknight dinner after work/school and before practices. Thanks! ⭐️
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it is perfect for your needs!
Could this be made with frozen shrimp rather than fresh?
I never have done so but theoretically yes I’m sure you can…BUT I personally would use fresh. They just have more flavor and here they are a key component to the dish not a sideline player so to speak.
This was great, I added some Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley to it.
Thanks for the 5 star review and the parm and parsley sound like great additions!
I made the lemon garlic shrimp for my family while we were on vacation, they loved it!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a vacation winner!
I had a quick overnight stay with my Mom, she loves shrimp. I wanted to cook for her, but not spend all my time in the kitchen. My sister and Niece came to eat with us too. This was perfect and everyone loved it!! Quick, easy and full of flavor!! Several times she said, “be sure to write down the recipe for me” so she can have her caregiver fix it for her :)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was perfect and quick!
Have you ever tried this with chicken instead of shrimp?
No but I’m sure it would work out fine.
i have 2lbs of 12/15 shrimp. should I double?
Yes I would double it.
Hi,
I love your recipes and would be so happy if you out a Pin It link of each. I follow you on Pinterest, but cannot pin an individual recipe that may come into my FB feed.
I am not really sure I understand your question but on every single image there is a hovering Pinterest icon in the top left hand corner and you can Pin that way very easily.
Can this really only feed 2 to 4 people? If i want to make it for 8 people would this be enough?
I think it really depends on how big people’s appetites are…that is SO variable.
And I would make it once and see if you think it will feed your 8 people comfortably before you are serving it for an event.
I made this tonight and found it was way too lemony. Next time I’ll add more garlic and maybe half the lemon juice. It was quick and easy!
As with anything, everyone’s taste preferences vary in the amount of intensity they want of something. You can easily just scale back the lemon to suit your tastes next time. Thanks for trying the recipe.
I tried your recipe this evening and my family loved it.. I was told that I could make it again. I added a few other ingredients. I added onions, bell peppers and some baby scallop’s. I am gluten intolerant so I used gluten free pasta and garlic bread. It was a quick and easy recipe, thank you.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you’ll make it again!
Try chopping your garlic on cutting board. Add your salt to garlic, rub the check knife over salt and garlic turning it to a paste. Making recipe tonight
This dish sounds delicious! What are some great sides that you like to pair with it? I would like to do a couple but not both green. So far I have asparagus or broccoli. What else do you suggest?
I think your ideas are great; or just a salad. It’s a fairly filling dish so I think 1 side would be all you need.
This was a hit with everyone in my family tonight! My 7yo son wasn’t even done with his plate when he asked if I would make this for his birthday dinner next month. We’re big eaters so I doubled the pasta and sauce ingredients, but kept the shrimp to 1 lb and it fed us well. We’re huge garlic fans, so 3 cloves of garlic passed through a garlic press was perfect. Thank you so much, this was delicious! I’ll be keeping this recipe handy.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad this is a keeper for you and that it’s going on a birthday menu!
This recipe sounds delish! I have a question though, there’s no olive oil needed? Other recipes I have seen call for olive oil.
You’re cooking the shrimp in butter rather than olive oil here.
I love this recipe….I have been using a similar recipe by Ina Garten.She bakes the shrimps though and does not use garlic.I must admit I like your version of cooking them in a skillet.A lot less effort.I am going to do it your way from now on.Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!
I think I’ve seen Ina make the recipe you’re talking about on one of her episodes! I love her shows and her cooking but I am all about the easiest, fastest way and these were SO fast to make in a skillet!
Garlic issues?
1. Mince garlic & add salt on your chopping board. With back of knife mix together until garlic becomes smooth garlic paste.
2. Roast garlic head in oven with olive oil until butter soft & mellow roasted flavor. Squeeze cloves of garlic paste into recipe.
3. Buy garlic paste in a toothpaste tube.
All of the above are best to do instead of using dried garlic powder.
Averie, I love this simple but packed-with-flavor recipe! Such a great weeknight dinner!
About the garlic, I’m with you- I don’t like biting into garlic no matter how small, but I definitely prefer the taste of actual garlic to garlic powder. What I do is put a whole clove or two (smashed a little to release the flavor) in the oil and remove them once they’re golden. That way the oil gets the good garlic flavor butI don’t have to eat it!
I’ve seen TV chefs do that trick, I need to try it!
Lemon spaghetti was one of the first things I learned to cook. Love it!! I’m sure the additions of garlic and shrimp are dynamite here.
Averie, this is exactly the type of recipe that my family loves too, very easy and simple to make a delicious weeknight meal, but also flavorful and comforting. Our refrigerator always hoards a bag of shrimp, so I always have some on hand for delicious recipes like this one.
That looks delicious!! Nice and easy to do. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Please ignore my first comment. I’m sorry, I just read your note about the garlic.
This looks delicious and I could just have this for lunch. May I ask though, why you didn’t use fresh garlic? I use garlic powder from time to time but usually prefer the taste of fresh garlic.
This is my kind of dinner – everything I love in one place!
Amen to one place and easy! Thanks for pinning, too :)
That looks soooo delicious! Yummy!
Greetings from Hamburg :-)
We have a similar recipe on dinner rotation at home and it’s one of our favorites. Oh, how we love buttery pasta with something lemony in it too. Yum.
This was one of the first dishes I ever learned to make and was always a hit with my family too. I can certainly vouch for its ease and deliciousness!!
Love me a great lemony pasta!!!
Averie this looks so delish!!
Simple, understated and yet… a work of art.
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
Oh, such goodness!!!!! I’m drooling!
These flavors are so classically YUM, and totally my kinda dinner! I adore all things shrimp, so I am loving this pot of buttery, noodle goodness! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
I love this dish..especially the pictures with the lemon slices they look so bright and colorful. I love angel hair pasta because it’s not as heavy as other pastas so the dish still feels light. Can ‘t wait to try. The cilantro lime chicken was a huge hit, having leftovers for lunch today.
Thanks for trying the cilantro lime chicken and glad you have some for lunch today, too!
I love angel hair because it cooks fast and totally agree, it’s so much lighter-feeling which I much prefer than heavy pasta dishes!
Garlic, butter and lemon is a great classic trio I love with any kind of seafood. This has a comfort food vibe to it but looks easy and delicious!!
Comfort food that’s lighter and fresh :)