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seafood pasta with garlic

Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

This elegant garlic butter seafood pasta combines tender scallops and succulent shrimp in a fragrant butter sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, this simple yet luxurious dish delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort, perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound bay scallops
  • 16 ounces thin spaghetti
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 dash onion salt
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan cheese freshly grated, for topping

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Sauté pan
  • Colander

Method
 

  1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 heaping teaspoons of salt to the water.
  2. Add the thin spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes until desired doneness is reached.
  3. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly foamy and fragrant.
  4. Add crushed garlic, onion salt, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the melted butter. Stir to combine.
  5. Gently add bay scallops and shrimp to the garlic butter mixture, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
  6. Sauté the seafood just until shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
  7. Drain the cooked pasta and transfer to serving plates or a large serving dish.
  8. Pour the seafood and garlic butter sauce over the pasta and toss gently to combine.
  9. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, use fresh seafood rather than frozen when possible. Look for scallops that are slightly translucent (not bright white) and shrimp that smell fresh, not fishy.
This dish is best served immediately, as reheating can make the seafood tough. If you need to store leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water.
For a flavor variation, try adding a splash of white wine or fresh lemon juice to the garlic butter sauce just before adding the seafood.