Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes
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This pasta with shrimp in a garlicky sauce is a fast weeknight dinner, combining sautéed shrimp and sweet fresh tomatoes. It cooks in minutes, and is my pick for an easy elevated meal or date night at home. Don’t miss a single drop of the savory sauce!
This classic dish is what my old-school Italian-American family would call “shrimp scampi.” Al dente pasta smothered with pan-sauteed shrimp and garlic butter sauce is easy to fall in love with.
Back in the day (and wasn’t much of a cook yet) I’d always order the shrimp pasta at our local restaurants, which was usually served over a giant pile of spaghetti. I’d practically cry with happiness.
Key shrimp pasta ingredients
This recipe is basically a shrimp scampi without wine, a quick recipe comes together so fast it’s worth getting all your ingredients lined up before you get started.
- Shrimp: I use a pound of peeled jumbo-sized shrimp. You can use raw jumbo or extra-large shrimp, which are usually 16-20 per pound. I always go with larger shrimp because they stay juicy when sautéed quickly. Smaller shrimp will cook very fast and can turn rubbery before the pasta is ready.
- Garlic: Please use fresh garlic rather than pre-minced garlic out of a jar. Because this dish is so simple, you want the ingredients to shine. Grating the garlic on a Microplane (this is my favorite one) distributes it evenly through the butter so the sauce tastes deeply garlicky and you won’t be biting into big pieces.
- Cherry tomatoes: You can tell me it’s not traditional, but I add them because fresh tomatoes add acidity and sweetness that balance the richness of the butter sauce.
Cooking insights
1. Dry the shrimp well with a paper towel — excess moisture prevents the shrimp from browning properly in the skillet. Season them lightly with salt on both sides. 
2. Start cooking the shrimp in olive oil. This is a garlic butter sauce, but unless you typically use clarified butter for cooking, sautéeing the shrimp in butter alone will burn it. 
3. Swirl the butter into the hot pan after the shrimp is cooked and let it melt into a foamy, creamy sauce with some of the pasta cooking water. That way you don’t need to dilute the flavor with chicken stock, wine or any other liquid.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) linguine, spaghetti or your favorite long pasta shape
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound (450 g) jumbo or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pint (475 g) halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon garlic grated on a Microplane or very finely chopped garlic, about 2-3 plump cloves
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, salted or unsalted
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, or a mixture of chopped parsley and basil
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large (5 or 6 quarts) pot of water to a boil and season with 2-3 tablespoons kosher salt.
- Cook 1 pound linguine according to package directions until al dente (usually about 11 minutes). Scoop ½ cup of the pasta water out of the pot and set aside, then drain the pasta and transfer to a bowl.
- While the pasta is cooking, pat 1 pound jumbo or extra-large shrimp dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt on both sides.
- Put a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the shrimp in one layer. Cook 2 minutes, then turn them over and continue cooking until they turn pink and opaque, about 1 more minute. Remove the shrimp to a plate.
- Add 1 pint halved cherry or grape tomatoes, 1 tablespoon garlic grated on a Microplane or very finely chopped garlic, 6 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper to the pan and stir. When the butter is melted, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juiceSwirl the pan around until saucy (add more pasta water if needed, a tablespoon at a time).
- Add the shrimp back to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese to taste. Toss gently and enjoy!
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Instead of lemon juice, pour in 1/4 cup of dry white wine (such as pinot grigio) to the skillet in step 4 after the shrimp are transferred to a plate. Let it bubble for a minute before adding the tomatoes, garlic, butter and red pepper.
- How to defrost shrimp in a hurry: Put the shrimp in a large bowl or pot and place in the sink. Break apart any clumps of ice with your fingers. Cover with water and swish around with your hands periodically until the shrimp is thawed, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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Everyone loved this recipie, it is very good! Im saving it to best recipies. Thank you! I will look at more of your recipies now.
So good, even the kids liked! Cut the red pepper in half b/c kids don’t like a lot of spice. Saved for future!