Quick Shrimp Pasta with White Wine & Fresh Herbs

Plump, juicy shrimp tossed with al dente pasta in a glossy white wine and garlic sauce, brightened with lemon and a riot of fresh herbs. This is the kind of dish that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but comes together in under 30 minutes — weeknight magic at its absolute finest.

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
Total time
35 minutes total

Ingredients

  • 400g (14 oz) linguine (spaghetti or fettuccine work great too)
  • 600g (1.3 lb) large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off your call (fresh or thawed from frozen — both work beautifully)
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp unsalted goat butter (or any non-cow dairy butter — adds richness and gloss to the sauce)
  • 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 200ml (¾ cup) dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc — something you'd happily drink)
  • 120ml (½ cup) chicken or seafood stock
  • 2 lemon, zested and juiced
  • ½ tsp red chilli flakes (add more if you like heat)
  • to taste fine sea salt (plus lots for the pasta water)
  • to taste black pepper, freshly cracked
  • a large handful (about 30g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • a generous handful (about 20g) fresh basil leaves, torn
  • small bunch fresh chives, finely snipped

Instructions

  1. Bring a very large pot of water to a boil over high heat — this is your pasta water and it needs to be aggressively salted (think: 'it should taste like the sea'). While you wait, gather your ingredients.
  2. Peel and devein 600g large raw shrimp if not already done, pat them completely dry with paper towels (dry shrimp = gorgeous golden sear), and season all over with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
  3. Thinly slice 6 large garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl.
  4. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add 400g linguine and cook according to package directions until just al dente — usually 8–9 minutes. Before draining, scoop out a big mugful (at least 240ml / 1 cup) of starchy pasta water and set it aside. You'll use it to bring the sauce together. Then drain the pasta.
  5. While the pasta cooks, place a large wide skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil and let it rip until shimmering hot.
  6. Add the shrimp in a single layer — don't crowd the pan or they'll steam instead of sear. Cook undisturbed for 1–1.5 minutes until they just turn pink and golden on the bottom, then flip each one and cook another 30–60 seconds. They should be just cooked through and curled into a 'C' shape (overcooked shrimp curl into an 'O' — that's a no). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  7. Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp goat butter. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the sliced garlic and ½ tsp red chilli flakes. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is soft, fragrant, and just barely starting to turn golden at the edges — keep the heat medium and watch it carefully, burnt garlic is a heartbreak.
  8. Pour in 200ml dry white wine — it will sizzle dramatically and smell incredible. Let it bubble and reduce for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any golden bits from the pan floor.
  9. While the wine reduces, zest and juice 2 lemons. Keep the zest and juice separate.
  10. Pour 120ml chicken or seafood stock into the pan and stir in the lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer and reduce for another 2 minutes until slightly syrupy and glossy.
  11. Add the drained linguine directly into the sauce and toss well to coat. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water — start with a few tablespoons — and toss again. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to every strand beautifully. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen things up.
  12. Return the seared shrimp to the pan, nestling them into the pasta. Toss gently for 30 seconds just to warm them through — they're already cooked so don't overdo it.
  13. Roughly chop a large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, tear a generous handful of fresh basil leaves, and finely snip a small bunch of fresh chives.
  14. Remove the pan from the heat. Scatter in all the fresh herbs and the lemon zest, give everything one final joyful toss, taste for seasoning, and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
  15. Divide into four warmed bowls, making sure everyone gets a gorgeous pile of shrimp on top. Serve immediately with an extra lemon wedge on the side and, if the mood strikes, a cold glass of that same white wine you used for cooking.