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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Thank you for this recipe. I made this while staying in a hotel that had a small kitchen. My sauce was a bit thin so I added some of the cheese to it to thicken it up a bit before going back in with the shrimp. The 3 of us were floored at how tasty this was.
You’re so welcome! I love that you made this in a hotel kitchen — what a great way to enjoy a delicious homemade meal on the go! Adding cheese to thicken the sauce is a great idea. I’m so happy all three of you enjoyed it.
We added spinach to this. It was so delicious.
This one is definitely going in the books my husband had 3 helpings!!!
Excellent recipe! Was a big hit with my family and will definitely make it again. Thanks
I just saw your Shrimp recipes and they sound DELICIOUS 😋. I’M sort of a novice cook, but we love shrimp. I’m excited that I found your site. The recipes are simple enough to follow & will make me look like a gourmet star!!! Thank you, I will be a faithful follower. Thanks again, can’t wait to start cooking 😋, JoAnne
Thanks JoAnne! Let us know how the pasta turns out for you! Hope you enjoy.
Can I add chicken with the shrimp?
Yes, you con use 1/2 pound of chicken with the shrimp. Slice boneless, skinless chicken breast into 1/2-inch strips or cubes. Start cooking the chicken first, then add the shrimp in when it’s cooked through.
So simple, sooo delicious. Amazing recipe and article!
Omg, awesome. Adding this recipe to my family list
Do you think this recipe would work with chicken instead of shrimp? Shellfish allergy here 😢
Hi Kirsten – Yes, you con use 1/2-3/4 pound of chicken instead of the shrimp. Slice boneless, skinless chicken breast into 1/2-inch strips or cubes. It may need a few more minutes to cook through.
Can you do this with zucchini noodles instead and if so would you substitute the pasta water with white wine?
I think you could definitely use zucchini noodles instead of pasta. You could either use white wine or plain water for the sauce.
So, just checking, does your calorie count not include the pasta? When I put the ingredients into My Fitness Pal it came out as 730 calories per serving.
Thank you.
Hi Jennifer – Great question. Yes, my calorie count includes the pasta. I use Spoonacular to calculate nutrition facts. I always advise my readers to use the calculator they are most comfortable with, as they are all notoriously different.
Why is there no white Chardonnay wine in the recipe. Can it be added and what amount
Hi Joan – I didn’t make this with white wine, but you sure can if you like! Choose a dry chardonnay or pinot grigio and add 1/4 cup in step 4 after the shrimp turn opaque. Let it simmer for about a minute, then add the tomatoes and other ingredients in step 5.
Love this recipe! Have made it multiple times now and shared it with my sister, who loves it too! Made it tonight with some dried tomatoes and that was delicious! Thanks so much for this recipe!
OMG! I love shrimp scampi, but this recipe was my hands down favorite of all time! That sauce is spectacular, shrimp were downright tender and perfectly cooked. I added spinach and it just blended so well with the rest of the ingredients. I only put in half the amount of pepper flakes but next time I’m going to use it all. I tossed my pasta with the shrimp in the pan. I may try this over some polenta one time. Thank you for such a yummy version of scampi!
Thinking of making this tonight…not gonna lie , using as a guide line simply because I’m not in my kitchen at home but in a kitchenette in a hotel as I am recovering from surgery. So I’m gonna do the best with what is kitchenette provides me with.
Kellie – I hope this dish brings you comfort and so much pleasure. Get well soon!
Great, easy recipe to follow. I substituted red bell pepper with the tomatoes as an acid, and added thyme to my olive oil searing of the shrimp. Wonderful! Thank you.
Red bell pepper is perfect! So glad you enjoyed the dish 🙂
Omg so yummy! Made this for my boyfriend and I for dinner. Excellent dinner from the boyfriend! Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Very good! I’m always looking for new recipes with shrimp and pasta. I followed the recipe except for the red chili (I’m sensitive to the flakes on my taste buds). This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for sharing. My family greatly enjoyed it!
Not bad 🙂