Chilli-Garlic Shrimp Linguine (Printer View)

Succulent shrimp cooked in spicy garlic-chili oil, paired with linguine and fresh parsley.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 14 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz linguine

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

03 - 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 1 to 2 red chili peppers, thinly sliced, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
05 - 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
06 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Sauces & Oils

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons dry white wine, optional
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Seasonings

10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chili; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic but not browned.
03 - Add shrimp to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Stir in lemon zest.
04 - Add white wine to the skillet if desired, allowing it to bubble for 30 seconds.
05 - Add drained linguine to the skillet along with reserved pasta water as needed and toss well to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice. Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley, and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in half an hour, which means weeknight dinner actually tastes like you tried.
  • The shrimp stays tender and succulent, never rubbery, because you're not overcooking it by a single second.
  • That garlicky, chili-spiked oil coats every strand of pasta in a way that feels indulgent but somehow light.
02 -
  • Never, ever overcook the shrimp—it takes longer to come back from being rubbery than it took to cook it in the first place, and no amount of sauce fixes that.
  • That reserved pasta water isn't just filler; it's what transforms a pile of oily pasta into something cohesive where the oil actually clings to every strand and doesn't pool at the bottom.
  • The lemon juice should be squeezed fresh right before serving, not added earlier, because the acidity fades if it sits.
03 -
  • Don't add the pasta to the skillet until you're absolutely ready to serve—that contact with heat will continue cooking everything, and you can overshoot doneness faster than you'd think.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon for building sauce; that starch is what lets the oil cling instead of separating, so don't use regular water as a substitute.
  • Buy your shrimp the day you're cooking them if possible, and if they smell fishy rather than briny and oceanic, they're past their prime.
Return