Garlic Shrimp Noodles

Dinner Ideas

NotADrink

Garlic Shrimp Noodles

20-minute weeknight noodles. Shrimp, garlic, butter, chili, parsley.

Time

20 min

Makes

Serves 4

Difficulty

Easy

Shaken Weeknight Crowd

Ingredients

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined 12 oz spaghetti or rice noodles 6 tbsp unsalted butter 6 cloves garlic, sliced thin 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 lemon, juiced 3 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta per package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer; sear 90 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook 60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and the butter is foaming.

Add the drained pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Toss until the sauce glazes the noodles, 1-2 minutes. Add more pasta water if needed.

Return the shrimp to the pan. Add the parsley and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Season to taste. Serve immediately.

From the kitchen

90 seconds per side. Anything more and the shrimp is rubber.

Story so far

This is a 20-minute meal, start to finish. The pasta water does the work — its starchiness thickens the butter-garlic sauce into a glaze that clings to the noodles. The trick is to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. The shrimp: pat dry, salt, and sear in a screaming-hot pan with olive oil for 90 seconds per side. Remove. Add butter, sliced garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the same pan; let the butter foam. Add the cooked noodles and a splash of pasta water; toss until glazed. Add the shrimp back. Finish with parsley and lemon.