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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

    Published: Aug 1, 2023 by Kelsey Smith

    151 shares
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    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

    One pot lemon garlic shrimp pasta with fresh shrimp, parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest is an easy one pot seafood dinner.

    Raw shrimp is cooked in butter with four cloves of garlic then set aside. The pasta is then cooked in the same pot in a milk and chicken broth mixture until al dente. Cooking the pasta in milk creates a light and creamy sauce.

    Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest add bright flavors to this single pot pasta.

    This lemon garlic shrimp pasta is a great way for beginner home cooks to dive into the world of seafood and impress the whole family. It's also an excellent choice for a date night or your next dinner party. 

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta garnished with fresh parsley

    Enjoy the creamy, delicious dish with bold and savory flavors. It will be one of your new favorite simple recipes.

    If you like this one-pot recipe, you will love this one-pot ground beef pasta and this one-pot rigatoni.

    Recipe Highlights

    • Easy recipe: A restaurant-quality meal in a single pot.
    • 30-minute dinner: This is a perfect dish for busy weeknights. 
    • One pot meal: Easy cleanup guaranteed.
    Jump to:
    • Recipe Highlights
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • FAQ
    • Related
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Food safety
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta ingredients
    • Butter - unsalted
    • Raw shrimp - pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • Garlic - minced
    • Milk - whole, 2%, or skim milk
    • Chicken broth - for flavor
    • Pasta - uncooked fettuccine
    • Parmesan - shredded or grated
    • Lemon - juiced and zested
    • Salt and pepper - kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    In a large pot or a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter.

    Uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp is added to the large skillet

    Add the raw shrimp and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Garlic added to the nearly cooked shrimp

    When the shrimp is nearly cooked, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.

    Cooked shrimp becomes pink in color and curls up. The cooked shrimp is set aside on a plate.

    The shrimp will curl and turn an opaque pink color. Shrimp should be cooked to 145°F (62.8°C). Pour the shrimp out onto a plate and set aside.

    Uncooked fettuccine pasta is added to the boiling milk and broth mixture

    In the same pot, add the milk and chicken broth, bringing to a low boil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pasta and reduce the heat to low, cooking until the fettuccine is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

    The pasta is cooked until al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed

    Stir occasionally so the pasta does not stick to itself or to the sides of the pot. When the pasta is cooked, remove it from the heat.

    Cooked shrimp, parmesan, lemon juice, and lemon zest are added back to the cooked pasta

    Add the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cooked shrimp, stirring until the cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Shrimp is mixed in with the cooked pasta

    Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta garnished with fresh parsley and lemon slices

    Substitutions

    • Butter: Olive oil or a combination of butter and olive oil.
    • Raw shrimp: Pre-cooked shrimp can save you cooking time. If frozen, thaw according to package instructions and pat dry. Peel if needed. Quickly toss the cooked shrimp in the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and continue with the recipe as written. 
    • Milk: Milk can be omitted in favor of more broth but the end result will not be creamy, but you can add a splash of heavy cream along with the parmesan and lemon at the end.
    • Chicken broth: Vegetable broth or seafood stock. Water can be used in its place but the pasta will be less flavorful and will likely need more salt to compensate.
    • Fettuccine pasta: Linguine, spaghetti, penne pasta, or any other pasta of your choice.
    • Shredded parmesan cheese: Romano cheese or pecorino cheese.
    Forkful of Shrimp Pasta with fettuccine

    Variations

    • Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free.
    • Dairy-free: Replace the butter with olive oil, replace the milk with additional broth, and omit the parmesan.
    • Pescatarian: Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth or seafood stock. Ensure the parmesan is vegetarian-friendly.
    • Spicy: Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
    • Tomato: For a red sauce recipe, try this tomato garlic butter shrimp.

    Equipment

    • Large skillet - Or a pot, to cook the shrimp and pasta.
    • Cooking spoon - To sauté the shrimp.
    • Pasta spoon - To stir and serve the pasta.

    Storage

    Store leftover shrimp pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator promptly after cooling. Consume within 3-4 days, reheating with care to retain its flavor and quality. Freezing is possible but may affect shrimp texture upon thawing.

    FAQ

    Which pasta is better for shrimp?

    The best pasta for shrimp depends on personal preference and the dish you're making. Linguine, fettuccine, and penne are popular choices due to their ability to hold sauces and complement the tender shrimp.

    What do you eat with shrimp pasta?

    Shrimp pasta pairs well with garlic bread, a green salad, or roasted vegetables for a balanced and satisfying meal. 

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these one-pot pasta recipes.

    • One Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
      One Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
    • Creamy One Pot Rigatoni
      Creamy One Pot Rigatoni
    • One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
      One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
    • Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with tortellini, Italian sausage, and wilted baby spinach in a bowl garnished with shredded parmesan.
      Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage

    📖 Recipe

    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
    Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved! Email Print

    One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

    One pot lemon garlic shrimp pasta with fresh shrimp, parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest is an easy one pot seafood dinner.
    4.20 from 5 votes
    Recipe by: Kelsey Smith
    Prep time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Equipment

    • Large skillet
    • Cooking spoon
    • Pasta spoon

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1-½ cups milk
    • 1-½ cups chicken broth
    • 8 oz fettuccine
    • ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
    • 1 lemon juiced and zested
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot or a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • When the shrimp is nearly cooked, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. The shrimp will curl and turn an opaque pink color. Shrimp should be cooked to 145°F (63°C). Pour the shrimp out onto a plate and set aside.
    • In the same pot, add the milk and chicken broth, bringing to a low boil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pasta and reduce the heat to low, cooking until the fettuccine is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally so the pasta does not stick to itself or to the sides of the pot.
    • When the pasta is cooked, remove it from the heat and add the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cooked shrimp, stirring until the cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

    Video

    Notes

    Pre-cooked shrimp: If frozen, thaw according to package instructions and pat dry. Peel if needed. Quickly toss the cooked shrimp in the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and continue with the recipe as written.
    Storage: Store leftover shrimp pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator promptly after cooling. Consume within 3-4 days, reheating with care to retain its flavor and quality. Freezing is possible but may affect shrimp texture upon thawing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 447kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 29gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 224mgSodium: 1127mgPotassium: 482mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 624IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 267mgIron: 2mg
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: lemon, pasta, shrimp
    Tried this recipe?Rate it to let me know how it was!

    Food safety

    • If working with frozen shrimp, thaw frozen shrimp safely by placing it in the refrigerator overnight or following the thawing instructions on the package. Avoid thawing shrimp at room temperature to prevent bacterial growth.
    • Cook shrimp until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) to ensure it is safe to eat. The flesh should be opaque and firm when fully cooked.
    • Consume cooked shrimp within 3-4 days.
    • Use separate utensils for handling raw and cooked foods to avoid spreading harmful bacteria from raw ingredients to cooked dishes.

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    About Kelsey Smith

    I am a freelance content writer by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing comfort food recipes.

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    1. Daisy's Mom says

      August 08, 2023 at 7:36 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy. I used whole milk for my sauce and it turned out great! I continually stirred the noodles to prevent sticking so I knew the exact moment to pull off the heat. Also, I overdid the parmesan, but of course I did. I'll serve this again!

      Reply
    2. Najla says

      August 04, 2023 at 9:29 pm

      1 star
      What a waste of time and linguine. The noodles were an awful texture, the sauce was not good and it almost ruined the shrimp.
      If anything, the noodles should be cooked in boiling water and then a sauce with something to it.

      Reply
      • Kelsey Smith says

        August 05, 2023 at 7:57 pm

        Hi Najla, very sorry to hear you didn't enjoy this one-pot recipe. Thanks for the feedback.

        Reply

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    Kelsey Smith

    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a freelance content writer for college-level textbooks by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing easy comfort food recipes.

    More about me →

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