Garlic-Chile Shrimp Pasta with Crispy Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 12 ouncespasta (spaghetti or linguine)
- 1 poundshrimp (large, peeled and deveined)
- 5 clovesgarlic
- ½ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 5 tablespoonsolive oil
- ½ cuppanko breadcrumbs
- 1lemon
- ·kosher salt
- ·black pepper
- ¼ cupfresh parsley
Prep
- 01
Peel and devein 1 pound large shrimp.
- 02
Mince 5 cloves garlic.
- 03
Chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley.
- 04
Cut 1 lemon into wedges for squeezing.
Method
- 01
Bring a large skillet of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente (usually 8–9 minutes); reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- 02
In a small bowl, toast panko with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a separate skillet (or set aside). Once golden and crispy (2–3 minutes), transfer to a plate with a pinch of salt.
- 03
In the large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 04
Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- 05
Return drained pasta to the skillet with the shrimp. Add 3/4 cup reserved pasta water and stir gently, tossing over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs some liquid.
- 06
Squeeze juice from 1 lemon over the dish. Toss gently. If too dry, add more pasta water a splash at a time.
- 07
Plate and top with crispy breadcrumbs and fresh parsley.
The key is reserving pasta water—it's your secret to a silky sauce. If you don't have panko on hand, crushed crackers or store-bought croutons work in a pinch.