Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp is one of those fast, no-nonsense dinners that feels a little fancy without trying too hard. Silky noodles, tender shrimp, plenty of butter and garlic, and a bright splash of lemon, it's simple, indulgent, and on the table in under 20 minutes.
If you're lucky enough to get your hands on royal red shrimp, this classic scampi-style dish turns into something truly special.
Quick Look at the Recipe
Garlic butter noodles with shrimp is a quick stovetop pasta dish made with tender shrimp simmered in butter, garlic, white wine, and lemon, then tossed with hot noodles and finished with fresh parsley. It's best served immediately and perfect for busy nights or last-minute guests.
Ready in: 19 minutes | Serves: 4 | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly: Prep ahead only
Jump to:
- Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Main Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
- Recipe Variations and Twists
- How to Make Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp (Step-by-Step)
- Serving Ideas
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips for Perfect Results Every Time
- You Might Also Love These Shrimp Main Dish Favorites
- Join the Conversation
- Recipe:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's restaurant-worthy, but weeknight-easy
- Like my pan-fried shrimp, blackened shrimp, and buffalo shrimp, it uses simple pantry ingredients
- Like my roasted shrimp, it cooks fast, blink, and it's done
- Perfect for entertaining because it feels special
- Easy to adapt with regular shrimp if needed
And if you love buttery, garlicky pasta (who doesn't?), this one's a keeper.
Main Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Royal Red Shrimp – Royal red shrimp are a true Gulf delicacy, often compared to lobster or scallops. They live in deep waters (up to 1,500 feet), which gives them their naturally sweet, rich flavor. They cook very quickly, so keep a close eye on them; overcooking is the only real risk here. If needed, regular extra-large shrimp work just fine; just increase the cook time slightly.
- Pasta – Fettuccine gives the sauce something to cling to, but spaghetti or linguine also works well. I don't recommend angel hair here; it's a little too delicate for this buttery sauce.
- White Wine – A dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, adds depth without overpowering the shrimp. If you'd rather skip it, substitute seafood stock or chicken broth.
Recipe Variations and Twists
- Spicy: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with the garlic
- Extra lemony: Finish with lemon zest for more brightness
- Creamy: Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end
- Herb swap: Basil or chives work beautifully in place of parsley
How to Make Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp (Step-by-Step)
- Season the shrimp with lemon pepper seasoning and kosher salt.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, then flip.
- Pour in white wine and lemon juice; cook 2-3 minutes, stirring gently. Add the remaining butter and let it melt into the sauce. Remove shrimp and keep warm.
- Toss pasta with the sauce until well coated. Add the shrimp.
- Optional, garnish with parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately either from the skillet or on a platter.
Serving Ideas
This dish shines with simple sides:
When serving guests, I often buy an extra quarter-pound of shrimp, no other recipe changes needed, and everyone leaves happy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small pat of butter.
No. Freezing is not recommended; the texture of the shrimp and sauce will suffer.
Absolutely. Just increase the cook time by about 30 seconds, as royal reds firm up faster.
Tips for Perfect Results Every Time
- Prep everything before you start. This dish moves fast
- Don't walk away from the skillet once the shrimp go in
- Pull shrimp as soon as they're just opaque
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor
- Save shrimp shells to make homemade stock (future-you will thank you)
You Might Also Love These Shrimp Main Dish Favorites
Join the Conversation
If you try this Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp, I'd love to hear how it turned out, especially if you used royal reds. Leave a comment and star rating below, and let me know what you served alongside it! Your comments and ratings help this recipe move up in search rankings and help other people find it. Thank you!
G&P Wisdom
When a recipe is this simple, timing matters more than technique. Have everything ready, and dinner practically cooks itself.
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Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound royal red shrimp, extra-large, peeled, deveined, with the tails removed (regular shrimp can be substituted)
- ½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces dry fettuccini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ cup dry white wine, I used chardonnay
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish optional
- grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Add the shrimp to a medium bowl along with the lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain, set aside.
- Add the olive oil and two tablespoons of butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, then flip them. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. stirring often. Add the remaining three tablespoons of butter.
- Remove the shrimp and keep warm. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add the shrimp back in and garnish with the parsley.
- Serve immediately with garlic toast and your choice of sides.
Notes
- Royal red shrimp are a delicious upgrade for regular shrimp. In the fall, they can be found in water as deep as 1500 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. They tend to be a bit more expensive than regular shrimp, and many people compare their taste to lobster and scallops. Personally, I find the texture slightly different, but I think the taste is about the same. If substituting them for regular shrimp, reduce the cook time slightly.
- Where I live, there used to be only one seafood house closer to the coast where you could buy them, but I've noticed this year that grocery stores like Publix are now selling them as well. When they are available, I usually buy several pounds and freeze them.
- Regular shrimp can be substituted for the royal reds in this recipe. Just increase the cook time slightly.
- This recipe goes very quickly, and for the best results, the dish should be served immediately after cooking. I recommend that you have all your ingredients prepped, measured, and ready before you begin cooking, and that you set your table.
- Be sure to save the shrimp shells to make shrimp stock with. I usually just put all my shells in a plastic bag, freeze them, and keep adding shells until I have at least a pound and time to prepare the stock. Here is a link to a shrimp stock recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I frequently use.
- I usually serve this dish with a salad and Texas toast garlic bread.
- I don't recommend freezing this dish. It can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, and reheated in a skillet over medium-low heat with a bit of butter.
- You can use any type of dry pasta noodles you have on hand, or, like in this recipe, spaghetti or linguine. Many people like angel hair pasta for this dish, but I think it is too delicate.
- If I am serving this dish to guests, I usually prep everything ahead: measure out all the ingredients, season the shrimp, have a pot of water simmering on the stove for the pasta, and have a skillet with olive oil, butter, and garlic already in it, ready to cook. Then, a few minutes before we are ready to eat, I cook the shrimp and pasta.
- One last note: if we are having guests, I often buy an extra quarter or half pound of shrimp to ensure everyone gets enough. No other adjustments are needed in the recipe.
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