Charred Shrimp Pasta with Chili Oil and Crispy Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 poundlarge shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 12 ouncespaghetti or linguine
- 6 clovesgarlic
- ½ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- ½ cupextra-virgin olive oil
- 1lemon
- 1 teaspoonsea salt
- ¼ teaspoonblack pepper
- ¼ cupfresh parsley (loosely packed)
Prep
- 01
Peel and devein 1 pound shrimp if not pre-done, then pat dry with paper towels.
- 02
Mince 6 cloves garlic.
- 03
Chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- 02
While pasta cooks, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is light golden and fragrant. Pour the infused oil into a small bowl.
- 03
Return the skillet to medium-high heat with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Season shrimp with sea salt and black pepper. Working in two batches if needed, add shrimp to the hot pan and cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are deeply browned and charred. Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until just opaque. Transfer to a plate.
- 04
Reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Pour the garlic chili oil over the pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta water a splash at a time (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) until the pasta is glossy and silky.
- 05
Return shrimp to the skillet. Squeeze in lemon juice, toss everything together, and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately, topped with chopped parsley.
Spice Tips
For extra heat, increase the red pepper flakes to 3/4 teaspoon or add a pinch of cayenne to the oil. For less spice, reduce red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon. A fresh basil leaf or two stirred in at the end adds herbaceous balance to the heat.
Patting shrimp dry before cooking ensures a proper char and crust. Don't skip that step—it's the secret to restaurant-quality char. This dish comes together in under 25 minutes start to finish.