Pasta Gamberi (Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti) is a delicious, easy recipe, perfect for a quick weeknight meal. I love using plenty of fresh parsley and chilies for a spicy kick.
Table of contents
About The Recipe
Pasta Gamberi originated in the coastal regions of Italy and is made in many different variations. Gamberi is a broad term that refers to prawn and shrimp. If you see the word "Gamberoni", this refers to larger, King Prawns. The Americanized name "Shrimp Scampi" is a bit misleading, as scampi in Italian translates to langoustines, which are crustaceans that look similar to lobsters but are smaller and more elongated in shape.
My version of Pasta Gamberi consists of shrimp, garlic, fresh chili, lemon juice and zest and parsley. This pasta dish is very simple and easy to prepare. A range of long pasta shapes work well for this dish, but I often opt for spaghetti. I particularly love spaghetti alla chitarra for the texture that really clings to the sauce.
I love to make different versions of Pasta Gamberi, depending on what I have in my fridge and pantry, for a quick weeknight meal. If you really enjoy seafood pasta, I would also recommend Shrimp Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes or Fregola with Clams. For other quick Italian pasta dishes, I suggest checking out Pasta Piselli e Pancetta, Bucatini All'Amatriciana and Italian Broccoli Pasta.
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Ingredient Notes and Variations
- Shrimp- For the tastiest results, use wild-caught shrimp and avoid farm-raised. Depending on your preference, you can remove the entire shell or keep the tail intact.
- Pasta- I used spaghetti alla chittara, however, you may also use regular spaghetti, spaghettoni, capellini, linguine or fettuccine.
- Chili- I love the flavor of fresh chilies, such as Fresno chilis, Thai chilis or habaneros. Adjust the amount of chili depending on its heat level and your preference. You can substitute with Calabrian chili paste or dried red pepper.
- Lemon- I like to use both the zest and the juice for maximum flavor pay off. Avoid the bottled stuff here!
- Variations- In lieu of lemon juice, you can use white wine and/or fresh tomatoes to add acidity to the sauce. You can also substitute a portion of the olive oil for butter to add more richness. Basil can be added instead of parsley. For a more fish-forward flavor, add shrimp stock, clam juice or anchovies.
Step by Step Instructions
To prepare the Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti, first prepare all of the ingredients. Clean and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact, if desired. Then, finely chop the chili and garlic. Roughly chop the parsley. Grate the lemon zest.
Next, sear the shrimp on both sides without cooking all the way through, about 1-1 ½ minutes (1). Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add more olive oil to the pan along with the garlic, chili and lemon zest. Bring to a sizzle (2). Quickly stir in parsley (3). Add the cooked pasta, shrimp and reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss to coat, taste and adjust sauce, as needed (4).
Pasta Gamberi Tips and FAQs
- Don't overcook the shrimp- When you first saute the shrimp, undercook it slightly so it doesn't become overcooked when you reheat it later.
- Use quality ingredients- Fresh ingredients, and good quality pasta and olive oil make all the difference in a simple pasta recipe like this.
- Try chopped lemon peel- For a more intense lemon flavor, chop the lemon zest instead of grating it. First use a peeler to remove strips of lemon, then finely chop the lemon peel.
- Don't burn the parsley- Often times, recipes call for tossing in fresh parsley at the end of cooking, however, adding it directly to warm oil provides a huge flavor pay off. Just make sure the heat is low and you work quickly to avoid burning the herbs.
Linguine Gamberi is a classic Italian pasta dish made with prawns or shrimp, garlic, lemon, chili, white wine, parsley and/or tomatoes.
Shrimp pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Avoid leaving the cooked pasta out at room temperature for more than 2 hours on the day of cooking to avoid potential foodborne illness.
Pasta Gamberi (Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
Description
Pasta Gamberi (Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti) is a delicious, easy recipe, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients
12 oz (340g) spaghetti alla chitarra, or pasta of choice*
16 oz (450g) shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails optional)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2-3 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 teaspoon fresh red chili pepper, finely diced*
½ cup chopped parsley, loosely packed
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon lemon juice (about ½ a lemon), or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Season generously with salt (about 1-2 tablespoons of Kosher salt per quart of water). Cook the pasta until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta water for the sauce.
- While the water heats up, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, followed by the shrimp. Cook for about 30-45 seconds per side, until partially cooked through. Turn off heat. Transfer shrimp to a bowl.
- Add remaining 4 tablespoons of oil to the pan, followed by the chopped garlic and chili. Bring to a sizzle over low heat. After about 30 seconds, add the chopped parsley and lemon zest to the pan (the flavor of the ingredients should gently infuse into the oil; don’t brown them!). Add a ladleful of pasta water to the pan to prevent browning and create the base of the sauce.
- Add the shrimp and cooked pasta to the pan, and toss to coat in the sauce. Bring sauce to a boil for about 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the shrimp is cooked through. Turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Add more pasta water, as needed, to loosen the sauce. To serve, I like to drizzle over a little olive oil and add a sprinkle of Maldon salt. Enjoy.
Notes
The package of pasta I used to test this recipe was 13.2 oz (345g). Depending on how your pasta is packaged, I suggest either using an entire 13.2oz package or ¾ of a 1lb package, which would be 12oz.
You can substitute spaghetti alla chitarra with regular spaghetti, spaghettone, capellini, linguine or fettucine.
If you use fresh chili, the spice level may vary significantly. Use anywhere from ½ - 4 tsp, depending on your preferences and the type of pepper used.
You can substitute fresh red chili with Calabrian chili paste (1-3 tsp) or crushed red pepper flakes (¼-½ tsp).
For a more intense lemon flavor, remove the lemon zest in strips with a vegetable peeler. Cut peels into a very fine dice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of pasta
- Calories: 606
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 146mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 67g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 183mg
Regina says
Recipe was very tasty!!! I almost burned the butter and garlic, so will really keep an eye on it next time. Preparation with everything measured and ready to go is most helpful. Will definitely be preparing this again!
Sabrina Russo says
That's so great to hear!! And I actually almost burned the garlic while I was taking photos, haha. The hazards of photography.