Description
A quick and easy weeknight dinner featuring sweet shrimp in a velvety, lemon-infused cream sauce tossed with linguine. This healthy yet indulgent meal comes together in just 30 minutes using simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces (340g) Linguine Pasta
- Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined (Size 21/25 or 31/40), thawed and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons (30g) Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4–5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240ml) Heavy Cream
- Zest and juice of 1 large Lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan Cheese, grated
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining, then set pasta aside.
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil and half the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Once butter foams, add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter to the pan. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant without burning.
- Pour in heavy cream and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Add cooked linguine to the skillet. Toss vigorously with tongs, adding splashes of reserved pasta water to help the sauce emulsify and cling to the noodles.
- Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and the cooked shrimp (along with any juices). Remove from heat.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pan when searing shrimp to ensure they brown rather than steam. Use a wide skillet for better evaporation and browning. Reserve pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Do not freeze leftovers as the cream sauce may separate and shrimp texture will suffer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: shrimp linguine, creamy pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meals, healthy seafood, lemon shrimp, 30 minute meals, gluten-free option