Garlic Butter Shrimp Linguine
Plump shrimp and linguine tossed in a glossy garlic butter sauce, finished with fresh parsley. The starchy pasta water brings it all together into a light, silky coating.
- Total
- 17 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 12
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Sautéing · Emulsifying
- Savory
- Quick
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season generously with 0.5 tsp salt. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 120 ml of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.
~8 min
Salting the water seasons the pasta from within and helps it cook evenly.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the linguine cooks, peel and finely mince the garlic and finely chop the parsley. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towel and season lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
~3 min
-
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and just golden, about 1 minute. Do not let it brown or it will turn bitter.
~1 min
Garlic burns quickly; cooking just until golden prevents bitterness from burnt compounds.
Sautéing Keep the heat medium and stir constantly; garlic should turn fragrant and golden, not brown, to avoid bitterness.
-
Add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer and cook until they turn pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side.
~4 min
Shrimp proteins coagulate and turn opaque when cooked; cooking just until pink keeps them tender.
Cook the shrimp just until they curl into a loose C shape. A tight O shape means they are overcooked and will turn rubbery.
-
Add the drained linguine and 120 ml reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss over medium heat until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the pasta, about 1 minute.
~1 min
Starchy pasta water emulsifies with butter to create a glossy sauce that clings to the pasta.
Emulsifying Toss vigorously over medium heat so the starch in the pasta water helps the butter and water combine into a smooth, clinging sauce.
-
Remove from heat, stir in the chopped parsley and a pinch of black pepper, then serve immediately.
~1 min