蝦
Italian Weeknight · Pasta

蒜油蝦意粉

Shrimp Spaghetti Aglio e Olio — Garlic, Olive Oil, Lemon, Parsley

A clean, light pasta that leans on the pan: olive oil bloomed with sliced garlic and chili, shrimp seared just to pink, then everything tossed with spaghetti, lemon, and a fistful of parsley. The sauce is starchy pasta water emulsified with the oil — no cream, no shortcuts, no excuses.

Serves2
Prep5 min
Cook15 min
LevelEasy
材料Ingredients

The Pasta & Shrimpfresh, simple, dry

  • Spaghetti200 g
  • Shrimp, peeled & deveined300 g (~½ lb)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil¼ cup
  • Garlic, thinly sliced5 cloves
  • Red pepper flakes½ tsp
  • Lemon, juice + zest1
  • Flat-leaf parsley, chopped¼ cup
  • Kosher salt (for the pasta water)2 tbsp
  • Kosher salt (for the shrimp)¼ tsp
  • Black pepper, freshly crackedto taste

To Finishoptional but worth it

  • Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzle)1 tbsp
  • Flaky sea saltpinch
  • Reserved pasta water~½ cup
做法Method
  1. Salt the waterBring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt — it should taste like the sea. This is the only chance to season the pasta itself.
  2. Dry the shrimpWhile the water comes up, pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Wet shrimp steam in the pan and turn rubbery; dry shrimp sear with golden edges.
  3. Cook the pastaDrop the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook one minute shy of the package's al dente time — it will finish in the pan with the oil. Before draining, scoop out at least 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside.
  4. Bloom the garlicWhile the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir gently for 1–2 minutes until the garlic turns pale gold and the kitchen smells right. Don't let it brown — bitter garlic ruins the dish.
  5. Sear the shrimpBump the heat to medium-high. Lay the shrimp into the pan in a single layer. Cook 60–90 seconds per side, just until they curl into a loose C and turn pink and opaque. A tight O means they're overcooked.
  6. Bring it togetherTurn off the heat. Add the drained spaghetti, the chopped parsley, and the lemon juice to the pan. Toss with tongs while adding pasta water a few tablespoons at a time — you want the oil and starchy water to emulsify into a glossy sauce that clings to every strand. Usually about ⅓ to ½ cup does it.
  7. Taste & adjustTaste a strand. More salt? More lemon? More chili? Adjust now, off the heat, while the pasta is still hot enough to absorb. The sauce should look loose and shiny, not dry — it tightens fast as it sits.
  8. Plate & serveTwirl into warm bowls with tongs. Finish each plate with lemon zest, a final scatter of parsley, a drizzle of fresh olive oil, and a pinch of flaky salt. Eat right away — this is not a dish that waits.

A Note from the Kitchen

The whole dish lives or dies by two small things: the garlic and the pasta water. Slice the garlic thin so it cooks evenly, and keep the heat low until it's a pale gold — golden garlic is sweet, brown garlic is acrid. The pasta water is your sauce; drain into a measuring cup if you have to, but never pour it down the sink before you've reserved some.

If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then dry them very thoroughly. Skipping the drying is the single most common reason home-cooked shrimp turn out grey and soft instead of pink and seared.