Lemon Shrimp Spaghetti
Updated Aug 18, 2026
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This lemon shrimp spaghetti is a quick, summery pasta with juicy shrimp, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and plenty of fresh lemon. It’s easy enough for a weeknight and ready in about 30 minutes.
Quick and Easy Shrimp Spaghetti Recipe
This is one of those pasta dinners I make all summer long. The fresh lemon keeps the sauce bright and lemony without being too heavy, and I love how the tomatoes soften into the pasta while the spinach wilts right into the sauce. Add a simple zucchini salad on the side, and dinner is done.
It’s also an easy recipe to play around with depending on what’s in the fridge. Swap the spinach for arugula, add extra tomatoes, toss in some fresh basil, or use whatever long pasta you have in the pantry. And if you love this combination of shrimp, garlic, and lemon, try my creamy lemon shrimp pasta and shrimp Caesar salad next!
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Spaghetti Recipe
- Ready in about 30 minutes. Shrimp cooks quickly, so this is an easy pasta dinner when you don’t have much time.
- Easy to change up. Use a different long pasta, swap the spinach for arugula, add more veggies, or throw in whatever fresh herbs you have.
- Great for summer. Tomatoes, basil, spinach, and lemon keep this pasta fresh and summery, while the shrimp and spaghetti make it satisfying enough for dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Spaghetti: Regular spaghetti works perfectly, but you can use linguine, fettuccine, or another long pasta.
- Olive oil and butter: I use both to cook the shrimp and build the simple sauce.
- Shrimp: Use large raw shrimp that are peeled and deveined. Fresh or frozen both work; thaw frozen shrimp first.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here, especially since we’re keeping the sauce simple.
- Green onions: You’ll use both the white and green parts. Shallots are a good substitute.
- Grape tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes work just as well. They’ll soften as they cook and release some of their juices into the sauce.
- Baby spinach: It wilts quickly right into the pasta. You can swap it for arugula if you’d like.
- Fresh basil: Add it toward the end so it stays fresh and fragrant.
- Lemon: You’ll want fresh lemon juice here, not bottled.
How To Make Lemon Shrimp Spaghetti
A quick, flavorful dinner with pasta and fresh shrimp, tomatoes, and lemon – this is going to be your next favorite meal!
- Boil the spaghetti. Get the pasta cooking first so it’s ready when you need it. Cook it in well-salted water until al dente, then drain.
- Start the tomatoes. While the spaghetti cooks, warm the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes and green onions and let them cook for a few minutes to soften and release some of their juices. Stir in the garlic just until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp. Stir in the shrimp, basil, and half of the lemon juice. The shrimp only need a couple of minutes here. Once they’re pink and opaque, they’re done.
- Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach and remaining lemon juice. It might look like a lot of spinach at first, but it wilts down quickly.
- Bring it together. Add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss it with the shrimp and veggies. Give everything a taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon if you think it needs it.
- Serve. Spoon the pasta onto plates while it’s hot and add freshly grated Parmesan on top, if you’d like.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly and can turn rubbery if left in the skillet too long. Cook just until they’re pink and opaque.
- Save some pasta water. Before draining the spaghetti, scoop out about ½ cup of the cooking water. Add a splash when tossing the pasta with the shrimp and veggies if it needs a little more moisture.
- Cook the spaghetti al dente. It’ll cook a little more when you toss it in the skillet, so you don’t want it too soft to start.
- Add cheese. A little freshly grated Parmesan is delicious here. Sprinkle it over the pasta just before serving.
- Add more lemon to taste. Lemons vary, so taste the finished pasta and squeeze in a little extra if you want it brighter and more lemony.
Variations
- Change the pasta. Linguine or fettuccine work just as well as spaghetti. And if fettuccine is what you’re craving, my shrimp fettuccine is another easy shrimp pasta to try.
- Give it some heat. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes along with the garlic. You can also add a splash of dry white wine and let it cook down for a minute before adding the tomatoes.
- Add more veggies. Asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, or snap peas are all easy additions. Just keep in mind that firmer vegetables will need a few extra minutes in the skillet before you add the shrimp.
- Make it creamy. Stir in a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half at the end.
- Try another protein. You can swap the shrimp with chicken bites or air fryer salmon bites, or cooked turkey meatballs.
Serving Suggestions
- Add a salad. Serve your spaghetti with my Mediterranean salad for an easy, fresh side.
- Don’t forget the bread. These garlic Parmesan breadsticks are perfect for scooping up the garlicky, lemony juices left on the plate.
- Pour a summer cocktail. A cold Campari spritz goes really well with the lemon and shrimp. A crisp Pinot Grigio is another good choice.
- Finish with something cold. My tiramisu ice cream is a very good reason to save room for dessert.
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Lemon Shrimp Spaghetti
This lemon shrimp spaghetti is a quick and easy pasta dinner with juicy shrimp, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and plenty of fresh lemon.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 ounces spaghetti pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 to 4 basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 8 to 10 ounces baby spinach
- grated parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; drain and set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add the tomatoes and green onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 15 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Cook the shrimp. Add the shrimp, basil, and half of the lemon juice. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
- Add the spinach and spaghetti. Stir in the spinach and remaining lemon juice, and cook for about 1 minute, or until the spinach wilts. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss everything together until well combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Finish and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, and serve.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 1050mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6465IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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Proper Storage
- Refrigerate: Store leftover shrimp spaghetti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen up the pasta. You can also microwave individual portions in short intervals until warmed through.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this.
This is a keeper for us. My husband loved this dish. I made it exactly as the recipe read….I wouldn’t change a thing.
That’s great! I am very glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This was insanely delicious. I Omitted the second half of the lemon juice, added a minced shallot, and some lemon zest. I roasted the TOMATOES in the oven with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper on 450 for 20 min and added it to the pan with the rest. It was soo amazing and only needed a dusting of parmigiana to top it.
And I used frozen uncooked wild shrimp from Whole Foods.
And a pinch of red pepper flakes
Thank you so much! I’m very happy you loved it! 🙂
How much is considered the service size? I just see the calories per serving….
This was so easy to make and so incredibly yummy! My 6 year old daughter is a pretty picky eater and ate all of it…even had seconds…even asked that this be her “birthday dinner” in June! 😂 This was for sure a win!! Also, the 2nd day leftovers were jam packed with flavor and just as good as the first day!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Followed recipe quite precisely since I had all ingredients on hand except for fresh basil (substituted dried) and also added the zest.. It was a big hit. Really delicious!
Thank YOU! I am very happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this last night. Juiced 2 lemons and zested one to boost the lemon flavor. Also added crushed red pepper to give it a little bite. I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I used about 5 cloves of garlic and shallots instead of green onion because it’s what I had on hand and I think I would prefer the shallots over the green onion anyway! I also added lemon zest in at the end because I can’t stand throwing that extra flavor away. Would definitely make again any time!
This was a nice light healthy meal and I followed the recipe exactly as written but felt that something was missing because it was a little bland so I added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and lots of grated Parmesan and it was perfect for my taste. I will make this again.
I just made this tonight and it was delicious. I zested the lemon and it gave it much more flavor.
One of my faves!! I am happy to know that you also enjoyed it!
So good! Just made this for dinner for my company. Everyone loved it! This is a keeper!!
Hello,
Love your recipes. New to your site. Is this lemon shrimp made with raw shrimp? It would be helpful to add that to your recipe instructions.
Thank you so much. Plan to make this recipe soon!
Hi! Yep, it’s with raw shrimp. I will update the recipe right away. 🙂
Hi there…. I’m planning to make the lemon shrimp and spaghetti but i don’t have fresh shrimp… can i use precooked frozen?
Hi! Yes, you can definitely use the precooked ones, but thaw them beforehand. I would add them to the pan a couple of minutes after the tomatoes and green onions, and cook until they are heated through, which shouldn’t take longer than 2 to 3 minutes.