Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

This delicious pasta dish brings together tender shrimp and silky angel hair pasta in the most amazing way! Your family will absolutely love how the garlic, lemon, and white wine create such a restaurant-quality meal. Plus, you can have this gorgeous dinner on the table in just 35 minutes!

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 35 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Egg-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 463 Calories, 19g Fat, 49g Carbs, 22g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Whole-wheat angel hair pasta: You’ll need 8 ounces, which is perfect for 4 people. I love how the whole wheat adds a nutty flavor and keeps everyone fuller longer!

Extra-virgin olive oil: Just 1½ tablespoons will do the trick. This creates the perfect base for all those amazing flavors to come together.

Yellow onion: You’ll want ¾ cup finely chopped, which is about one medium onion. The fine chop helps it cook quickly and blend beautifully into the sauce.

Garlic: 4 large cloves, thinly sliced. Slicing instead of mincing gives you those wonderful little bursts of garlic flavor in every bite!

Lemon zest: 2 teaspoons of freshly grated zest adds such bright, fresh flavor. Don’t skip this – it really makes the dish special!

Large shrimp: 12 ounces of peeled and deveined raw shrimp. Buy them already cleaned to save time, or ask your fish counter to do it for you.

Crushed red pepper: Just ¼ teaspoon adds a gentle warmth. You can always add more at the table if you like it spicier!

Dry white wine: 2 tablespoons create amazing depth of flavor. Any white wine you’d drink will work perfectly here.

Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons cut into pieces. This makes the sauce creamy and rich without being heavy.

Fresh flat-leaf parsley: ¼ cup chopped, plus extra for garnish. The fresh herbs really brighten up the whole dish!

Lemon juice: 2 tablespoons of fresh juice. Fresh is so much better than bottled – trust me on this one!

Salt: ¼ teaspoon to bring all the flavors together perfectly.

Parmesan cheese: ⅓ cup grated. Freshly grated tastes so much better, but pre-grated works too if you’re in a hurry.

How to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

Step 1: Cook your pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water. Follow the package directions for al dente – you want it with just a little bite. Drain the pasta but save ½ cup of that starchy cooking water. Set both aside for now.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add your chopped onion, sliced garlic, and lemon zest. Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring often. You’ll know it’s ready when the onion gets soft and everything smells amazing!

Step 3: Add the shrimp and crushed red pepper to the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring and turning the shrimp often. The shrimp should be just slightly translucent in the center – they’ll finish cooking in the next step.

Step 4: Pour in the white wine and cook for just 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Then add your drained pasta, the reserved cooking water, and butter pieces. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring with tongs. The sauce will become beautifully creamy!

Step 5: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and salt. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese. Add extra parsley on top if you like – it makes everything look so pretty!

Easy and Quick Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp Version

Want to make this even faster? You can use pre-cooked shrimp from the store! Just add them in the last minute of cooking to warm them through. Also, bottled lemon juice and pre-minced garlic work in a pinch. The dish will still taste wonderful, and you’ll save about 10 minutes of prep time!

Serving Ideas

This pasta is pretty much a complete meal all on its own! If you want to add a side, try a simple green salad with Italian dressing or some crusty garlic bread. A glass of the same white wine you used in cooking makes it feel extra special too!

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. To reheat, add a splash of water or broth to a skillet and warm it over medium-low heat. The microwave works too – just use 30-second intervals and stir between each one.

Substitutions

No white wine? You can use chicken broth or even water with a splash of lemon juice. Regular pasta works great if you don’t have whole wheat. You can swap the shrimp for scallops or even chunks of chicken if that’s what you have on hand!

Pro Tips

Don’t overcook the shrimp: They go from perfect to rubbery really fast. Pull them off heat when they’re just barely done!

Save that pasta water: It’s liquid gold for making the sauce creamy and helping everything stick together.

Prep everything first: This recipe moves fast once you start cooking, so have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go.

Use room temperature butter: It melts more evenly and creates a smoother sauce.

FAQs

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

This pasta is really best served right away while it’s hot and creamy. But you can prep all your ingredients ahead of time to make cooking super quick when you’re ready!

What if I don’t like spicy food?

Sure! Just leave out the crushed red pepper completely. The dish will still have tons of flavor from the garlic, lemon, and wine.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

You bet! Just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels before cooking. This helps them get a nice sear instead of steaming.

What size shrimp should I buy?

Large shrimp work best here – they’re usually labeled as 21-25 count per pound. They’re big enough to stay tender and not get lost in the pasta!

I hope you love this pasta as much as my family does! It’s become our go-to for busy weeknights when we want something that feels special. Let me know how yours turns out – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures!