Italian-American · main

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta reads umami 6.9, richness 5.5 and salinity 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 18 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.9 · Richness 5.5 · Salinity 5.5 · Citrus 5.4 · Sourness 5.3 · Marine & Briny 4.2 · Allium 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Fruity 2.4 · Heat 1.9 · Sweetness 1.7 · Nutty 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Floral 1.5 · Earthy 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (13)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• shrimp — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• cracked black pepper — 5 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• garlic — 12 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• dry white wine — 237 g
• red pasta sauce — 237 g
• lemons — 130 g
• parmesan cheese — 57 g
• parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 18 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 100.2 kcal, 7.8 g protein, 6.4 g fat, 6.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs, 8-9 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
2. While the water comes to a boil, pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt and half the black pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear undisturbed until golden on the first side, 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook until just opaque and curled into a loose C, 1 more minute. Transfer the shrimp to a plate; they will finish cooking in the sauce.
4. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the same skillet, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the white wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the lemon zest and juice, the drained pasta, and 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss constantly over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the noodles, 1-2 minutes, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if it looks tight.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the Parmesan a handful at a time until melted into a glossy sauce.
8. Return the shrimp and any collected juices to the skillet and toss to warm through and coat evenly, about 1 minute.
9. Season with the remaining black pepper and more salt to taste, scatter with parsley, and serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Fra Diavolo — Italian-American
• Skillet Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American
• Calabrian Chili Shrimp Pasta — Italian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.