Shrimp Spaghetti

This Italian-American shrimp spaghetti keeps things dead simple. Jumbo shrimp get drenched in garlic butter, blanketed with seasoned bread crumbs, and baked until the topping turns golden and crispy while the shrimp curl up pink and juicy underneath.

Boiling the garlic cloves in melted butter softens their raw bite and infuses the butter with mellow garlic flavor throughout. It’s a gentler approach than mincing raw garlic into the butter, and it prevents the garlic from burning during the high-heat bake.

The bread crumb crust is what makes this stand out from a standard shrimp scampi. It soaks up the garlic butter and crisps in the oven, creating a crunchy shell over each shrimp. A squeeze of lemon right before baking brightens everything and cuts through the richness.

Toss the finished shrimp and all that buttery, crumb-coated pan sauce right over the spaghetti.

Pro Tips

• Use jumbo shrimp so they stay plump and juicy under the bread crumb layer. Small shrimp overcook before the topping browns.
• Spread the shrimp in a single layer in the pan. Overlapping shrimp steam instead of roasting and the crumbs turn soggy.
• Don’t skip the lemon. Without it, the dish tastes flat and overly rich.
• Save a ladle of pasta water before draining. Toss the spaghetti with a splash to help the butter sauce coat every strand.

Variations

• Shrimp Parmesan: Mix grated Parmesan into the bread crumbs before topping the shrimp.
• Spicy version: Add red pepper flakes to the garlic butter for a kick.
• Linguine swap: Use linguine or angel hair instead of spaghetti for a different texture.