Bright, garlicky shrimp tossed with al dente linguine and crisp-tender spring vegetables in a lemony butter–wine sauce, finished with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
Bright Garlic Shrimp Linguine for Busy Weeknights
A 30-minute pasta that uses seared shrimp, crisp-tender spring vegetables, and a lemony butter–wine sauce to deliver bold flavor with minimal fuss.
This is the kind of dinner that feels special without asking for extra time: garlicky shrimp tossed with al dente linguine and a parade of spring vegetables — zucchini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, peas, and sweet yellow pepper — for a mix of textures and pops of color. The sauce is deceptively simple: dry white wine, lemon, olive oil and butter emulsified with a bit of reserved pasta water to coat each strand in a glossy, savory-tangy finish. It’s bright, fresh, and perfectly balanced between silky and crisp.
Timing and technique are what make this recipe sing. Cook the linguine just shy of al dente and save a cup of the cooking water so the sauce can be loosened and bound without getting watery. Sear the shrimp quickly in a hot skillet so they turn pink and just firm up — that brief sear keeps them juicy and prevents rubberiness — then use the same pan to wilt the veg and reduce the wine for concentrated flavor. Toss everything together off the heat so the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce and picks up every bit of garlic-and-lemon goodness.
Practical little swaps and tips: if you’re short on time, use peeled, deveined shrimp and frozen peas; if you prefer a milder finish, skip the wine and add a splash more lemon and pasta water. Season shrimp lightly before searing, then taste and adjust salt, pepper and lemon at the end — a last squeeze of lemon lifts the whole dish. Fresh parsley and a grating of Parmesan add herbaceous brightness and a savory finish that pulls the plate together.
Serve right away with a wedge of lemon and crusty bread to mop up the sauce, or make it semi-ahead by prepping the shrimp and chopping the vegetables; when you’re ready, cook the pasta and finish everything in the skillet for a fast, restaurant-worthy meal at home. Leftovers keep well for a day or two but are best enjoyed the first night when the textures are at their freshest.
Ingredients
How to Make Garlic Shrimp Linguine Primavera Style
- Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and season generously with 1 tablespoon of the salt; add the linguine and cook until just shy of al dente according to package directions (about 9–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, peel and devein the shrimp if needed, pat them dry, then toss with a pinch of salt and half the black pepper and set aside.
- Trim the asparagus and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; slice the zucchini into half-moons and core and thinly slice the bell pepper; halve the cherry tomatoes and finely chop the garlic and parsley.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, then add the shrimp in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through; transfer shrimp to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add the white wine and scrape any browned bits from the pan; simmer 1 minute to reduce slightly.
- Add the asparagus, zucchini, and bell pepper to the skillet and sauté 3–4 minutes until just tender-crisp, then stir in the cherry tomatoes and peas and cook another 1–2 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet, add the drained linguine, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon, and toss to combine while adding up to 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan and chopped parsley, taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and black pepper and more lemon juice if desired; heat just until everything is coated and warmed through.
- Divide among four plates and sprinkle with extra Parmesan and parsley, and an extra pinch of red pepper flakes if you like more heat; serve immediately.
Recipe Card
Garlic Shrimp Linguine Primavera Style
Bright, garlicky shrimp tossed with al dente linguine and crisp-tender spring vegetables in a lemony butter–wine sauce, finished with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and season generously with 1 tablespoon of the salt; add the linguine and cook until just shy of al dente according to package directions (about 9–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, peel and devein the shrimp if needed, pat them dry, then toss with a pinch of salt and half the black pepper and set aside.
- Trim the asparagus and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; slice the zucchini into half-moons and core and thinly slice the bell pepper; halve the cherry tomatoes and finely chop the garlic and parsley.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, then add the shrimp in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through; transfer shrimp to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add the white wine and scrape any browned bits from the pan; simmer 1 minute to reduce slightly.
- Add the asparagus, zucchini, and bell pepper to the skillet and sauté 3–4 minutes until just tender-crisp, then stir in the cherry tomatoes and peas and cook another 1–2 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet, add the drained linguine, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon, and toss to combine while adding up to 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan and chopped parsley, taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and black pepper and more lemon juice if desired; heat just until everything is coated and warmed through.
- Divide among four plates and sprinkle with extra Parmesan and parsley, and an extra pinch of red pepper flakes if you like more heat; serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 66
- Saturated Fat
- 3.8
- Sodium
- 700
- Fiber
- 3.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 12.5
- Protein
- 37
- Fat
- 17
- Cholesterol
- 170
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 630
- Sugar
- 3