Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta With Basil
This Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is a bold, savory pasta dish made with juicy shrimp, a rich homemade garlic-basil butter, and plenty of yummy garlic flavor. The shrimp are lightly simmered with spices, lemon, and beer, then folded into pasta that’s already coated in herb butter for a dish that feels elevated but is still weeknight-friendly.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Gatrlc-Basil Butter:
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Shrimp and Pasta:
- 1 package Penne
- 2 cups cleaned, blanched shrimp
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil for shrimp
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ cup light beer
- Juice from half a lemon approx. 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp black and white sesame seeds
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking pasta
- Optional: 1 tsp chili paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the basil, butter, 2 garlic cloves, salt, and pepper in a blender.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Refrigerate the garlic butter while you continue preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add the pasta and 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Melt the 2 tbsp of butter and 1 ½ tbsp of olive oil.
- Add the shrimp and the minced 1 garlic clove. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in the spices: smoked paprika, oregano, and black pepper (and chili paprika, if using). Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring very gently.
- Pour in the beer and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Allow the mixture to simmer until the liquid has slightly reduced.
- Drain the cooked pasta well.
- In the pot, toss the drained pasta with the chilled garlic-basil butter, mixing thoroughly until the pasta is completely coated.
- Gently fold in the cooked shrimp mixture.
- Serve immediately on plates, garnishing with the Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, and a final squeeze of fresh lemon juice.