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You will want to make this easy Garlic shrimp pasta recipe every week because it only takes 30 minutes to put together, is delicious, and is so satisfying. Perfectly simple pasta recipe that doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, and the whole family can enjoy it.
If you love pasta then this garlic shrimp pasta is going to be your go-to pasta dish because it is not only delicious, but it’s really easy to make and doesn’t need a billion ingredients. Shrimp cooks quickly which makes this pasta dish the ideal meal to make when you don’t have much time to get dinner on the table.
Made with sauteed shrimp and tossed in with a garlic tomato parmesan sauce. If you don’t like shrimp you may swap it for any other protein of choice. This healthy shrimp pasta recipe can even be made vegetarian by skipping the shrimp completely. A quick and easy pasta recipe that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner any day of the week all year round.
Whys you will love it
- Very flavorful: The combination of garlic, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes makes this shrimp pasta dish so flavorful and delicious. You will love it.
- Quick and simple: This simple shrimp pasta recipe is really easy to make. With only 10 minutes of prep time and about 15 minutes of cooking time, you will have it ready to serve in just under 30 minutes.
- Hassle-free: This garlic shrimp pasta recipe can be made in one day, and no side dishes are needed to serve it. Also, you won’t need a ton of crazy ingredients to make it.
Ingredients you will need
Below is a list of ingredients you will need to make this recipe. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Spaghetti: use any of your favorite pasta to make this garlic shrimp pasta. If you have gluten allergies, then go with gluten-free spaghetti. You can also use other healthier pasta like whole-grain, chickpea pasta, or lentil pasta.
- Olive oil: or you may use avocado oil
- Garlic: Use fresh if possible, or you can use one tablespoon of garlic powder instead.
- Shrimp: highly recommend that you use raw shrimp and not cooked shrimp. If you prefer another protein, you can switch it up and use chicken or any other seafood like scallops.
- Chili flakes: this is just to give it a bit of flare. You can skip it, add more, or use cayenne pepper.
- Tomatoes: I love using cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan Cheese: try to grate your own parmesan cheese if you can. If you can’t it’s ok too. Another cheese you can use is grated Romano cheese.
- Parsley: used to garnish, so it could be optional.
How to make Garlic shrimp pasta
Bring a pot with salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve 2/3 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then, add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until pink and opaque. Sprinkle with chili flakes and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
To the same preheated skillet, add the remaining oil and cook the cherry tomatoes until burst. Pour over the pasta water and deglaze the pan, stirring through the bottom of the pan.
Return the shrimp back to the pan, together with the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese, tossing with a pair of tongs to combine.
Serve immediately with freshly chopped parsley!
Recipe notes and tips
- Do not overcook the pasta. Cook it al-dente.
- Don’t forget to save some pasta water before you drain.
- If you don’t like shrimp, try scallops or chicken. To keep this vegetarian skip the shrimp
- To make this vegan-friendly: use tofu in place of shrimp for protein and use vegan-parmesan cheese. These are now readily available at many stores.
- Want to keep this low carb? Use lentil or chickpea pasta. To make it even healthier, use zucchini noodles.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Use only fresh ingredients where possible, like fresh garlic and fresh tomatoes.
- I recommend that you use raw shrimp instead of cooked shrimp.
frequently asked questions
There are a few things you need to keep in mind when cooking pasta to ensure you make the perfect pasta recipe. Most importantly, do not overcook the pasta. You always want to cook it al-dente because it’s going to continue cooking even after you remove it from the water. Also, do not forget to save some pasta water before you drain. The pasta water can be used again in making the sauce for the pasta. Do not rinse the pasta when cooking a warm dish. The only time you will need to rinse pasta is when you are making cold pasta salads.
Pasta really doesn’t need much according to most Italians. Simple garlic, butter, and salt with a bit of parmesan cheese are all you will need. But if you want to add more flavor to your pasta, many herbs will work well especially if you are adding fresh herbs. Consider adding some fresh dill, thyme, oregano, garlic, parsley, and so on.
Pasta or pasta sauce will need some sort of fat to prevent the whole dish from being a sticky starchy mess. You can add butter or olive oil to your sauce or cooked pasta.
The only time you need to rinse your pasta is when you are making a chilled pasta recipe like a cold pasta salad. Many reasons for rinsing the pasta are you want to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta off for the salad, Also, the pasta will be less starchy and sticky. You should not be rinsing the pasta if you are making a warm pasta dish with sauce. In fact, it is recommended to save some of the pasta water to cook it with the sauce.
Pasta recipes you may like
- Baked Tomato Feta Pasta
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Pasta Salad
- Asparagus Chicken Pasta
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Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti, gluten-free if needed or whole wheat pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a pot with salted water to a boil and cook the 12 ounces spaghetti according to the package instructions. Reserve 2/3 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the 3-4 garlic cloves (minced) and saute for 1 minute. Then, add the 1 pound large raw shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until pink and opaque. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chili flakes and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
- To the same preheated skillet, add the remaining oil and cook the 1 pint cherry tomatoes until they burst, about 2-3 minutes. Pour over the pasta water and deglaze the pan, stirring through the bottom of the pan.
- Return the shrimp back to the pan, together with the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, tossing with a pair of tongs to combine. Season with Kosher salt and ground pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately with 1/4 cup fresh parsley, freshly chopped!
Video
Notes
- Do not overcook the pasta. Cook it al-dente.
- Don’t forget to save some pasta water before you drain.
- If you don’t like shrimp, try scallops or chicken. To keep this vegetarian skip the shrimp altogether
- To make this vegan-friendly: use tofu in place of shrimp for protein and use vegan-parmesan cheese. These are now readily available at many stores.
- Want to keep this low carb? Use lentil or chickpea pasta. To make it even healthier, use zucchini noodles.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Use only fresh ingredients where possible like fresh garlic and fresh tomatoes.
- I recommend that you use raw shrimp instead of cooked shrimp
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made this recipe. It was absolutely amazing. So simple and delicious.
Definitely a weekday favorite.
Thanks Phil. So glad you loved it
Could i use frozen shrimp
Yes you sure can. Just be careful to not use the cooked ones
This was fantastic. I used about 8 ounces of whole wheat pasta because I’m trying to cut carbs and used almost a half a head of garlic so it had lots of flavor. Just don’t scrimp on the Parmesan cheese. I will make this again and again. Thank you so so much.
So glad you loved it.
This recipe has become a family favorite. Thank you! Even our smallest toddler loves it. To give it some variation, I sometimes add a bit of curry powder when I put the pasta water into the mix and it adds a very nice flavor and it makes it extra creamy.
And btw I always use frozen shrimp but make sure to dry them well before and cook them for only 2-3 minutes and it tastes great
Thanks for the feedback Sandra. So happy you guys love this recipe.
Ok so I made this today and I had to comment because it was so good. I’m the same as some of the comments in the way I like my pasta saucier and less dry. I put a little bit of no salt added tomato sauce and a splash of heavy cream (I know this makes it less healthy but it was delicious and I didn’t feel heavy after eating it like I sometimes do with pasta dishes) I also added more Italian seasoning and some fresh basil
Nice. Thanks for the great feedback. I love the substitutes you made
Pasta comes out too plain. Recepie says cook pasta first. You don’t cook pasta in advance. pasta will not be aldente.
This was a really good recipe!! I used a bag of mixed seafood from Aldi’s instead of only shrimp. The recipe came together quickly. The family loved it. It was delicious!!!
Question, please: I need to cook for someone who is on a fat-free diet after surgery. Is there any way to make this fat-free? It sounds delicious and the recipes I’ve made are pretty bland.
Thanks very much.
Hi. You would have to cook it without oil and try to find fat-free cheese or skip the cheese.