Pasta al Limone with Shrimp
Pasta al Limone is the perfect elegant pasta recipe that you need this summer. It’s somehow both light and decadent, bursting with fresh lemon and shallot flavor in a creamy sauce. Once you add the tender shrimp, it’s truly incredible!
This shrimp and lemon pasta an easy one-pan recipe to pull out anytime you’re craving pasta. It’s a great recipe for entertaining because it’ll make you look like the hostess with the mostest when in reality it only takes about 20 minutes!
Table of contents
This Is the Ultimate Fresh, Lemony Pasta for Summer
There’s nothing quite like sitting down with a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine. The summer heat can make a lot of pasta dishes feel too heavy, but not pasta al limone!
A classic Italian recipe, pasta al limone is a simple pasta dish consisting of a long noodle-shaped pasta (usually spaghetti), lemon (zest and juice), butter or olive oil, Parmesan, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper.
While there’s cream in the sauce, it’s lightened with pasta water and lots of fresh lemon zest and juice. It has a rich yet fresh flavor making it perfect for any time of year.
This creamy lemon shrimp pasta isn’t strictly authentic because we’re really jazzing things up with shallots, crisp white wine, and a bit of mascarpone. We’re also using bucatini for this recipe because it’s the absolute best at holding sauce.
This will be a pasta recipe that you turn to over and over again, promise!
Tools Needed
Ingredients and Substitutions
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Shrimp. The tender shrimp pairs so perfectly with the creamy lemon pasta. See below for other protein substitutions.
- Bucatini. Bucatini is my absolute favorite pasta! It holds sauce so well. But you could easily swap in spaghetti or even fettuccine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle.
- Lemons. You’ll need lots of fresh lemon zest and juice.
- Shallot. Shallot gives the perfect subtle onion flavor, but you can substitute any finely minced onion.
- Dry White Wine. Nothing sweet here! Try Sauvignon blanc, Pinot gris, Chenin Blanc, etc.
- Heavy Cream. This isn’t authentic, but it makes the sauce perfectly creamy.
- Mascarpone. You can skip the mascarpone, but I love the light flavor it gives to pasta al limone.
- Pecorino. Fresh grated pecorino is a must! You can easily swap in parmesan if that’s what you have.
- Fresh cracked pepper. Pasta al limone benefits from LOTS of freshly cracked black pepper.
Selecting the Right Size Shrimp
I’m sure you’ve gone to the grocery store plenty of times looking for shrimp and were bombarded with a million different types! Whenever you shop for shrimp, there are usually numbers attached like 21-25, 16-20, 10-12, etc.
These numbers refer to the size of the shrimp and how many you can expect per pound. The larger the number, the smaller the shrimp.
My favorite sizes for this fast pasta recipe are the 10-15 size and the 16-20. This size shrimp stays plump and tender and are perfectly filling for a main course.
How to Make the Creamiest Shrimp and Lemon Pasta
- Peel and devein your shrimp. You can ask your fishmonger to do this for you! You’ll also want to pat the shrimp dry before seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Boil the pasta until al dente. You want to cook it just 1 to 2 minutes shy of what the box instructs so it retains some chewiness.
Jenny’s Tip: Save about a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the rest. The pasta water is key to getting the creamy lemon sauce to cling to the pasta and shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp. Use a large skillet because it’s what we’ll be building the rest of the recipe in. Shrimp cooks very quickly (just 2ish minutes per side). Remove the shrimp to a plate to prevent it from overcooking.
- Sauté the shallots. After a minute or so, deglaze the skillet with the white wine. Let it simmer until almost evaporated (this step cooks off the alcohol while leaving behind the wine’s concentrated flavor).
- Thicken up the sauce. Stir in the lemon zest, then the heavy cream. Let the cream bubble gently for about 5 minutes to thicken, then add the reserved pasta water.
- Finish the pasta in the creamy lemon sauce. I use my kitchen tongs to transfer the al dente pasta from the pot of water straight into the sauce. Toss with the cream mixture, then add the butter, romano cheese, and mascarpone. Then, return the shrimp to the pan, sprinkle with parsley, and enjoy!
Ways to Customize Your Pasta
This pasta is so perfect in its simplicity! Obviously, I’ve added shrimp to the pasta al limone, but you can omit it or make the following swaps:
- Proteins. Grilled or shredded chicken is wonderful here! You could also add clams, seared scallops, or even grilled salmon.
- Herbs. Fresh herbs are a must here. Parsley is classic, but basil, tarragon, or chives would also be excellent. Whatever you do, just make sure you use fresh herbs vs dried.
- Veggies. There’s nothing wrong with using up some veggies in this pasta! Red peppers, zucchini, and fresh peas would all be wonderful additions.
Serving Suggestions
Try serving your creamy lemon shrimp pasta with a kale Caesar salad and no-knead focaccia for a complete meal. It’s also great with the following sides:
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Quick Pasta Recipes to Try Next
- Caramelized Shallot Pasta
- Truffle Mushroom Pasta
- Pink Sauce Pasta
- Roasted Tomato Orzo
- Tomato and Burrata Gnocchi
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Pasta al Limone with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 10 oz bucatini (or other long pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (anywhere from 10-20 size)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 2 small shallots, minced
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1/3 cup mascarpone
- 1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the bucatini. Cook until al dente. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water.
- Cook the shrimp. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet (about 12 inches) over medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer to the hot pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the minced shallots to the pan and sauté for 1 minute, until softened. Add the white wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer until most of the wine has evaporated and then add the lemon zest. Cook for 1 minute more.
- Finish the sauce. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened. Add the pasta water and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the pasta from the water with tongs (it’s okay if some water clings to the pasta), and add to the skillet. Add the butter, cheese, and mascarpone and toss the pasta well to coat.
- Let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce. Season to taste with salt, lemon juice, and a good smattering of freshly cracked pepper. Add the shrimp back to the pan to warm through. Top with some chopped parsley and serve warm.
Storage Instructions
- To Store: Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.To Reheat: Gently rewarm pasta in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water as needed to thin the sauce. Toss the noodles often and brighten them up with a squeeze of lemon.To Freeze: I don't recommend freezing creamy pastas or seafood after it's cooked.
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
Recipe looks great, will try, however when are you adding Romano cheese?
Oh my goodness, thank you for bringing that to my attention! I fixed the recipe now, but I add the romano cheese at the same time that I add the pasta to the sauce.
I made this last night with homemade Fettuccini noodles. It was so good! I also added scallops. I will definitely make this again!
this has fast become one of our favorites! I substitute coconut cream for the heavy. cream to avois lactos, and it tastes delicious! anyone reading comments I’d highly recommend making/buying fresh pasta – the sauce 100% deserves it and you can tastes the pasta water difference….
thank you for sharing!