Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta

This Lemon Shrimp Pasta is a back-pocket recipe when you want something satisfying but not heavy. Linguine and plump shrimp are just lightly coated in a simple sauce made with lemon, butter, lots of garlic, and briny capers.

“Great recipe! Will absolutely make again.”

—Sally

This Lemon Caper Linguine Uses Simple Ingredients To Create Sophisticated Flavor

Not every dish needs to have the biggest, boldest flavors. Some days, we find ourselves craving a bit less. That doesn’t mean we want something bland. Hell no. We just want something simple, well made, and satisfying without being heavy.

Readers have been enjoying this Lemon Caper Pasta since it was first published in 2013. It comes together with a short little list of ingredients, and even including waiting for the pasta water to boil, shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes.

Linguine pasta and plump shrimp are just lightly coated in a simple sauce made with lemon, butter, lots of garlic, and briny capers. It’s a back pocket recipe for those nights where you don’t know what to cook but you still know you want something good!

Lemon Caper Pasta Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• pasta – we like linguine for this recipe, but you could also use spaghetti or fettuccine. Even angel hair pasta works, if you like it.
• shrimp – we’ve found that 26-30 count peeled and deveined shrimp are the perfect size for this lemon shrimp linguine recipe.
• butter – unsalted butter will form the backbone of the sauce.
• lemon juice and zest – freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated zest adds a bright acidity to this lemon caper linguine.
• garlic – 4 cloves of garlic adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
• capers – there’s nothing else quite like the salty, briny taste of capers! We like the kind packed in brine, as the kind packed in salt are TOO salty.
• red pepper flakes – we’ve tested this recipe with anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a little heat, but feel free to add more if you really like spice, or omit them for a milder version of this lemon butter shrimp pasta.
• salt – kosher salt is best for seasoning both the pasta water and the sauce.
• black pepper – for seasoning the shrimp.
• parsley – we love to add chopped fresh parsley for a little extra freshness. Basil would work well, too!
• Parmesan cheese – not everybody agrees with seafood + cheese together, but we think it works well as a garnish for this lemon shrimp pasta recipe.

How To Make Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta

1. PASTA. Cook pasta to al dente in large pot of salted water, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

2. SHRIMP. Remove the tails from the shrimp and season the shrimp with salt and black pepper. Cook shrimp and garlic in butter in large skillet until shrimp are almost cooked through.

3. ADD. Add the lemon juice and zest, capers, and red pepper flakes and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout.

4. FINISH. Add the parsley, drained pasta and some of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the shrimp and toss until everything is combined, adding more pasta water if needed to create a thin sauce. Serve the lemon garlic shrimp pasta garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Save The Pasta Water!

No matter what type of pasta we are making, we ALWAYS reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before we drain the noodles.

We do this because this water is culinary magic! As the pasta cooks in the water, it releases excess starch (which is why the water gets cloudy as it cooks).

When you add a bit of this salty, starchy water to your lemon caper shrimp pasta, the starch acts as a binder and emulsifies the pasta and sauce together so that the noodles are perfectly coated in sauce.

What To Serve With Lemon Butter Shrimp Pasta

Our favorite thing to serve with a big plate of lemon caper linguine is a fresh salad tossed with Italian dressing.

Sometimes we’ll serve this lemon shrimp linguine recipe with a side of blistered tomatoes (or even toss them right into the pasta).

Our homemade garlic bread recipe or easy yeast rolls are always perfect for mopping up any extra sauce left on your plate.

Storing Leftover Lemon Caper Pasta

This lemon shrimp pasta recipe is best eaten as soon as it’s made. If you have leftovers, transfer them to a storage container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days. 

Reheat in the microwave at 50% power, stirring frequently, until warmed through.