Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

• 300 g spaghetti or linguine pasta

• 500 g large shrimp (peeled and deveined)

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

• 4 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 cup heavy cream

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta
   In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving some pasta water for later.

2. Cook the shrimp
   In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

3. Make the garlic butter sauce
   In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Deglaze with wine
   Pour in the white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

5. Add cream and Parmesan
   Stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and zest. Allow the sauce to simmer for another 2–3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy.

6. Toss the pasta and shrimp
   Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.

7. Serve
   Add the cooked shrimp back into the skillet, tossing everything together. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.