Quick, easy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta with the most delicious white wine and fresh tomato sauce! Tender, buttery shrimp, fresh spinach, and a kiss of lemon elevate this simple weeknight meal.
This Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta’s got it goin’ on, y’all. Garlicky shrimp. A silky white wine and fresh tomato sauce. A kiss of fresh lemon. What more do we need? Oh, I’ve got it. What if we could make it in 30 minutes or less? Yeah, that’ll do it. It’s simple enough for a weeknight, yet elevated enough for a hot weekend date. She can dress it up or she can dress it down, ya feel me?
This is basically a gussied-up version of shrimp scampi, which I will order every time I see it on a restaurant menu. My version includes plenty of veggies, though, making it ideal for everyday eating.
Let’s talk process. First, boil your pasta. I like to cook mine just shy of the time indicated on the package directions to ensure that it stays nice and al dente after adding it to the sauce. Don’t forget to save some of your pasta water! Just a few splashes of this starchy miracle liquid will create a silky smooth sauce that adheres to your noodles like kisses fingers.
From here, you’ve got a choice. You can either hurry up and grab another pan to start making the sauce while the noodles boil, OR you can wait till they’re finished and make the sauce in the same pot after you’ve drained the noodles.
So this can be a one-pot recipe, but only if you can exercise 5 to 10 minutes of patience while your pasta is cooking. No matter the vessel you cook it in, though, this sauce is dead simple. Melt some butter. Add some tomatoes. Wait till they get all nice and soft and saucy, then throw in a heap of garlic, a splash of wine, and the juice and zest of a lemon. Season as you go here, people.
Once the sauce is reduced, you can toss in your shrimp. I like to cook them in a single layer, then flip them over to ensure even cooking. You’ll know they’re done when they’re pink on both sides and no longer translucent in the center. It won’t take long!
When the shrimp are almost ready, it’s time for the final steps. Spinach, noodles, pasta water, extra salt and pepper if needed, basil. In that order. Then you’ve just gotta eat it, which I’m confident you can handle even on your busiest (or laziest) days. And doesn’t a big plate of garlic butter shrimp pasta sound better than takeout? Methinks it does.
Did you make this garlic butter shrimp pasta recipe? Don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @emily.eats.things!
PrintGarlic Butter White Wine Shrimp Pasta
Quick, easy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta with the most delicious white wine and fresh tomato sauce! Tender, buttery shrimp, fresh spinach, and a kiss of lemon elevate this simple weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
- ½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- A big handful of baby spinach
- A few leaves of fresh basil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the linguine according to package directions. Reserve half a cup of pasta water, then drain the noodles and set them aside. Toss the noodles with olive oil to prevent them from sticking.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the halved grape tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until they are beginning to burst and form a sauce.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds, or until fragrant. Pour in the wine, then increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the lemon juice and zest.
- Season the shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper, then add them to the sauce. Cook, stirring frequently to cook the shrimp on all sides, until they are pink and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add a heaping handful of fresh spinach and stir until wilted. Add the linguine back to the pan and stir through the sauce, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to form a glossy sauce that coats the noodles.
- Serve topped with a shower of fresh basil.
Made this recipe? Leave a comment!