Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta Recipe (One Pan, 25 Minutes)

Name: My One-Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta Makes Everyone Happy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), thawed if frozen; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 8 medium to large cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 4 tablespoons salted butter; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 cup parsley leaves, chopped (from 1 bunch)

Pasta with shrimp and herbs served in a skillet with tongs on the side — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

You only need one skillet to cook everything, even the pasta, making cleanup super easy.
The recipe uses a handful of everyday ingredients and requires minimal prep.
Cooking everything together ensures rich shrimp and garlic flavor in each bite.

With only a few ingredients and minimal prep, this one-pan garlic and butter shrimp pasta has been a consistent hit with my family. My son loves shrimp, my partner—a pasta aficionado—is pleased, and I love a simple dinner I can pull together after weeknight activities. You don’t even need to remember to save your pasta water; everything cooks in a big skillet, even the pasta!

Cooking everything together in a skillet with regular stirring, à la risotto, ensures that all the shrimp and garlic flavor stays in the final dish. I like to keep it simple with just butter, garlic, parsley, and a splash of lemon, but you can absolutely tweak it to the particular palate of the pasta lover in your house.

Two plates of shrimp pasta garnished with parsley and lemon wedges served with water glasses and a small bowl of lemon slices on the side — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Tips for Customizing This Pasta Dish

Given that this is a one-pan pasta dish, it may be unclear when to add your extras if you choose to customize. Here are some stages of the dish, and what to add at those points:

When the shrimp is finished, but before adding the water and pasta: Add anything that needs to be cooked, like sliced mushrooms. Cook in the now-empty pan until barely tender, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Leave them in the pan when you add the water and spaghetti.
Along with the water and spaghetti: Add dry spices or herbs like crushed red pepper, oregano, basil, etc.
After the water is fully absorbed: This is the time to add fresh elements like lemon zest, more fresh herbs, or a splash of heavy cream alongside the fresh parsley. You can also add frozen peas in the last two minutes of cooking.

Garlic butter shrimp pasta served in a bowl with lemon wedges and parsley garnish — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

One-Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 16 mins

Total Time 26 mins

Servings 6 servings

Keep Screen Awake

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), thawed if frozen
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 medium to large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup parsley leaves, chopped (from 1 bunch)

Cook the shrimp and garlic:

Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.

Set a 14-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the shrimp in a single layer.

Cook the shrimp on one side until they are opaque halfway up the thickest part, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until fully opaque but not browned, about 1 minute more. Transfer the shrimp to a plate (leave the garlic in the pan) and set aside.
Cook the pasta:

Add 6 cups of water and the onion powder, salt, and pepper. Break the spaghetti in half and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent the spaghetti from sticking, until the spaghetti is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes.

While stirring, push any spaghetti pieces that are sticking up back under the water. When the pasta is tender, about 1/4 cup of liquid will remain on the bottom of the pan. If the water has completely evaporated, add 1/4 cup.
Finish the pasta:

Lower the heat to medium-low. Return the shrimp to the pan, along with any accumulated juices. Stir in the butter and lemon juice. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and serve.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, toss in a hot skillet with 1/4 cup of water until warmed through and saucy.

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Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
347	Calories
17g	Fat
28g	Carbs
22g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	347
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g	21%
Saturated Fat 6g	32%
Cholesterol 180mg	60%
Sodium 1214mg	53%
Total Carbohydrate 28g	10%
Dietary Fiber 2g	9%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 15mg	73%
Calcium 116mg	9%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 300mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.