Quick Spicy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
A fast and flavorful 15-minute dinner featuring tender shrimp, garlicky pasta, and a balanced spicy kick from chili flakes. Perfect for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or thawed frozen)
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 4–5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, adjust to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually 8-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter melts, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes on one side until pink and starting to curl, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle red chili flakes over shrimp and garlic. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds to release heat.
- Drain pasta and add directly to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
Notes
Pat shrimp dry before cooking to avoid steaming and achieve a better sear. Avoid browning garlic to prevent bitterness. Add chili flakes sparingly to keep heat balanced. Use reserved pasta water gradually to loosen sauce without making it watery. Cook shrimp in batches if skillet is crowded.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: shrimp pasta, spicy garlic shrimp, quick dinner, 15 minute meal, easy pasta recipe, weeknight dinner, garlic shrimp pasta