Shrimp Linguine

This shrimp linguine is the best balance of elegance and ease – it’s great for a special dinner at home, but quick enough to make on a busy weeknight as well! Chewy linguine is tossed with a buttery garlic shrimp and finished with toasted garlic breadcrumbs for major flavor and texture in each bite.

The flavors are simple and this dish isn’t overly saucy, though if you’re looking for a creamy sauce, you can certainly drizzle in a bit of heavy cream. It’s reminiscent of a shrimp scampi, but a little lighter and brighter. Don’t skip the breadcrumbs, they add SO much in terms of flavor and texture!

My scallop linguine is also made with a similar breadcrumb topping, give it a try the next time you need a special seafood pasta.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Ingredients

• Linguine noodles – Use high-quality pasta for best results. I typically buy white flour pasta, but you can use whole wheat if you prefer, or your favorite gluten-free alternative.
• Shrimp – Use raw shrimp for the best flavor. You don’t need jumbo shrimp, but buy the biggest you can. Large shrimp is perfect and usually pretty reasonable. Look for peeled and tails off for the easiest eating experience.
• Olive oil – Use high-quality olive for the best flavor.
• Butter – Use high-quality butter for the best flavor.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves. I’m all about shortcuts, but you need fresh garlic cloves for this pasta with shrimp.
• Panko – Panko has a different shape than traditional breadcrumbs which allow them to get nice and crispy. You should be able to find them at your local grocery store with the other breadcrumbs. Use gluten-free panko if you need it.
• Pine nuts – These add great crunch and flavor. If you don’t want to use them, you can omit or swap in cashews or pecans.
• Parmesan cheese – Use high-quality Parmesan for the best flavors. I recommend grating Parmesan with a microplane zester for fluffy and fresh Parm shreds.
• Lemon – We’re using both lemon juice and zest, so you’ll need a fresh lemon.
• Garnishes – Flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, drizzle of olive oil, fresh Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley.

How to Make Shrimp Linguine

This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

1. Make crunchy breadcrumbs. Pulse together garlic and pine nuts in a small food processor or chopper. Add panko and pulse until just combined.
2. Toast bread crumb topping. Heat butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and toast bread crumb mixture for 2-4 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside and when cooled, stir in a little lemon zest and Parmesan cheese.

3. Cook pasta. Cook linguine in a large pot according to package directions, until al dente. RESERVE 1 cup of pasta water before you drain the linguine.
4. Cook shrimp. Melt butter and olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and cook shrimp and garlic, just until cooked through and shrimp turn pink. Add drained pasta to the cooked shrimp and toss everything together. Drizzle in some of the reserved cooking water and keep tossing everything together.

5. Serve pasta. Divide cooked pasta and shrimp into bowls or plates and top with a drizzle of olive oil, crunchy breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, flaky salt, fresh black pepper, red pepper flakes, and parsley if using.

FAQs

Storage

Store leftover shrimp and linguine in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

How to reheat

For best results, reheat linguine pasta and shrimp in a hot skillet, just until heated through so you don’t overcook the shrimp.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

If you like this shrimp pasta, you might like some of these other easy pasta recipes:

• Chicken Parmesan Pasta
• Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
• Boursin Cheese Pasta
• Bucatini Cacio e Pepe

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Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.

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