Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Parmesan, Capers, and Basil is our announcement that spring is here. We know spring isn't here yet, but the vibrant, yellow citrus fruit brings such a cheery, tangy flavor to seafood pasta dishes, we couldn't resist making it early. The lemon zest is full of fragrant oils, acting as a catalyst for the ingredients in our lemon shrimp pasta. Once you try Lemon Shrimp Pasta, we're sure it will be a favorite.
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A Popular Italian Ingredient
Although lemons grow year-round, with the peak harvest in the winter months, spring recipes seem to require more citrus use than usual. In Italy though, limone {lemon}, use is as popular as salt and pepper. This fragrant fruit is a fundamental ingredient of seafood dishes.
The lemons are robust enough to use in a multitude of dishes, from savory to sweet. The most known lemon in Italy is Limone di Sorrento, Sorrento Lemons. They grow on the steep, rocky slopes of the Sorrento Peninsula. These unique trees flower up to 4 times a year.
Sorrento Lemon uses
- A huge 60% of the Sorrento Lemons harvest in Italy are for making Limoncello.
- But the lemons aren't just for making liqueur; they are also salted and cured for later use.
- They are cooked and turned into jams or preserves.
- Lemon zest to finishes off a dish of risotto or Herbed Lemon Quinoa with Spinach
- They roast them to accompany a meat dish such as Garlic Lemon Chicken.
- A fresh lemon squeeze at the last minute enhances the flavor of the main dish.
Lemons are in desserts, entrees, sweet or savory dishes, and especially seafood dishes like our Spicy Baked Sea trout with Lemon Butter Sauce.
Gather the ingredients for the lemon pasta
This is a very easy dish to prepare, and you can have it on the table in 30 minutes.
For the shrimp:
You peel and devein the wild-caught shrimp then set aside. Measure 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan. You will need salt and pepper for the seafood.
For the pasta:
Fill a large pot with water and set it to boil.
While you're waiting for the pot to boil, measure your salt for the dish, you will need more for the pasta water.
In small prep dishes, or bowls, measure out the grated parmesan cheese, and lemon zest from 1 large lemon, chopped basil, and capers. You will need to rinse the capers because you're going to fry them. They taste delicious made this way.
Pour the ¾ cup olive oil into a measuring cup. Squeeze the juice from 2 large lemons, about ½ cup, and set aside.
Finish and serve the lemon shrimp pasta
You will see that having all of the ingredients measured and ready to add makes the job a lot easier. You sauté the shrimp for just a few minutes and set them aside. Once the water comes to an extreme boil, add the salt, don't be stingy with the salt. 🙂
Marcella Hazan says in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking that for every pound of pasta, put in no less that 1 ½ Tablespoons of salt, and more if the sauce is very mild and undersalted. You may use that amount as a starting point.
Once the pasta finishes cooking
- Ladle out 1 cup of water and set aside.
- Drain the pasta.
- Whisk the olive oil, parmesan, lemon zest, and juice in a large bowl to blend.
- Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, shrimp, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding it ¼ cup at a time as needed to keep the pasta moist.
The lemon flavor soaks into the pasta so that you get lemon pasta. Season with the salt and pepper; stir in the basil.
Garnish with the fried capers and more parmesan, if desired.
In 30 minutes you have a delicious healthy lemon shrimp pasta dish on the table.
And if you really want to click it up several notches, add a tablespoon of pesto like our Homemade Basil Without Pine nuts Pesto recipe.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
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We love to have imported capers on hand. They add such a briny depth to our dishes. Sometimes they're hard to find in the larger jars. The small jars are more expensive and we go through them too fast.
What's new? check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
Recipe
📖 Recipe
Lemon Shrimp Pasta with Parmesan, Capers, and Basil in 30 Minutes
Ingredients
- FOR THE SHRIMP
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ pound wild-caught shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- FOR THE PASTA
- 1 pound fettuccini or long pasta of your choice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for pasta water
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil separated
- ⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for topping (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest about 1 large lemon
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice about 2 large lemons
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tablespoons capers fried (directions in notes)
Instructions
- Make the shrimp: In a medium sauté pan, heat the Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper; add to the preheated pan in a single layer. cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until pink and cooked through. Set aside.
- Make the pasta: cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. (see notes)
- Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil , parmesan, lemon zest, and juice in a large bowl to blend.
- Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, shrimp and the reserved cooking liquid, adding it ¼ cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the basil.
- Garnish with the fried capers (see notes) and more parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. PromiseOriginally published March 15, 2017. Updated on July 28, 2021 to order to improve reader's experience.
C Bott
Taste was great, but it was cold before you could eat it! I had to take shrimp out & microwave
Marisa Franca
As you finish the recipe, you can always keep the shrimp or meat warm in a warm oven. We do the meat first and put it aside so it doesn't overcook.
Hayley Dhanecha
What a refreshing and light pasta meal to have on a hot summer day! Tasty and so special, what can I add instead of shrimp?
Alex
This sounds like such a great weeknight meal! Quick, easy and so delicious. Love all that parmesan in there!
Erin
Ooh, interesting. I never ever thought about what different types of lemons there are! I just love any kind of lemon pasta but with shrimp?! Yes, please!
Amanda Dixon
My husband and I made this for a little date night at home, and we absolutely devoured it! The fresh lemon zest added the perfect zip, and the fried capers added such a nice flavor. Add in the fresh basil and you have yourself a wonderful pasta dish! I'm looking forward to making this one again.
Brianna
This pasta is delicious and came together super quick. Love lemon and capers together, so good.
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli
Bright and sunny flavors like the Costiera Amalfitana 😉 ! Love the addition of the fried capers, a really nice umami touch.
Carmy
I love all the bright flavours here! They compliment each other so well and I can't get enough of this shrimp pasta dish!
Linda
Lemon definitely adds an extra zing to this dish especially when it is delicious like this shrimp pasta!
Liz
This was the perfect quick meal for our spaghetti night! Thanks for sharing!
Natalia
The only ‘problem’ with this shrimp pasta is that it’s impossible to stop eating it! Such an easy and delicious recipe, even better with the lemon sauce! Definitely making it again soon!
Allyssa
Fam really loves it! Highly recommended! It's super easy to make and really turned out so tasty! Will have this again for sure! Thanks a bunch for sharing!
Colleen
This pasta is light, delicious, and simple to make! The magic ingredient for me is the addition of capers. Thanks for a great recipe.
Gail
where does the separation of the 2/3 c extra virgin olive oil come in?
Marisa Franca
Hi Gail! You take 1/8 cup of oil from the 2/3 cup and fry the capers in it -- the directions are in the notes.
Marisa Franca
Thank you Chris for your nice response! I'm glad you and your family liked the dish! Frying the capers gives them a bit of firmness. And you're right, it doesn't change the taste of them - rather the texturee. Buona giornata!!
Gloria
Well the pasta lover in me LOVES the sound of this recipe. You can never go wrong combining seafood and pasta. So easy to prepare....yet so delicious. I would have no problem serving this to dinner guests. I know they would LOVE it.
Chiara
a tasty pasta is always welcome on table ! Have a nice week, un abbraccio !
Marisa Franca
Ciao, Chiara! We do enjoy our pasta, especially with seafood. Abbracci!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I'm never without lemons as well as limes, they bring out and compliment flavors of so many dishes. This is a lovely example of showcasing lemons with seafood…delicious.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Karen! We're the same way. Every time I go to the market I make sure to pick up lemons and limes.
Ciao Chow Linda
I've made something similar and it is always a hit. Are those mushrooms I see added? I don't see any in the ingredients list.
Marisa Franca
Ciao, Linda! No mushrooms this time, the dark is the fried popped capers and the basil. The photos were a challenge. We aren't home and the lighting is so-so where I can take the shots.
Elizabeth | Ellie & Elizabeth
So I read your recipe about 6 am yesterday and then off I went on my son's field trip, back to town at 6 pm only to drop him off for another school event until 8 pm. I was tired. I was HUNGRY. I told hubby to take me to the nearest Italian restaurant because I didn't have time to make your pasta dish, but I wanted something like it! I can't wait to slow a little and try to cook it for myself! Yummo!
Hugs,
Elizabeth
Christine
I agree, lemons add a delicious zesty flavor to seafood. In fact, I often add it when I'm cooking fish. And yes, this is a perfect dish for Lent. 😀 Thanks for recipe!
Oh, the weather has been crazy lately. Snowfall has gotten worse here, too.
Marisa Franca
Ciao, Christine! You're welcome. We do love sharing recipes, especially when we think it's a winner. Winter has been crazy! Spring is in just a few days and we're supposed to have temperatures in the 80's. They are in the 60's -- pretty chilly!!
Diane P.
This will show up on my table soon! Every ingredient you put into this dish is one that I love! What a great dish for Lenten season! I do have one question, however, when I went to the nutritional section, it said " Carbohydarates 0". Pasta is loaded with carbs, Is this nutritional table only for the shrimp??
Marisa Franca
Hi, Diane! Boy that was a crazy nutritional table. I went and used the other nutritional program I've been using and it should be more on the mark. Let me know how you like it. BTW, I am wearing winter clothes right now. It's cold down here. ?
Jovina Coughlin
My favorite seafood and you paired it with some of my other favorite ingredients. This looks like an extra special dish.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Jovina. It is so easy and so good. I love how the lemon soaks into the pasta.