Garlic Butter Shrimp and Scallop Pasta with Lemon and Parmesan

This seafood pasta brings together succulent shrimp and scallops in a rich garlic butter sauce, finished with fresh lemon juice, parsley and Parmesan. It’s a quick yet impressive dish that feels special enough for company but simple enough for a weeknight.

The key is building layers of flavor: start by searing the seafood, then create a silky sauce using pasta water, stock concentrate and garlic herb butter. Toss everything with al dente spaghetti and you have a restaurant-worthy meal in under 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ParsleyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ShrimpView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ScallopsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce SpaghettiView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Garlic Herb ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, zest and quarter the lemon. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the parsley. Rinse the shrimp and scallops, then pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp and scallops with the lemon zest, half the garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
3. Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the shrimp and scallop mixture in an even layer and cook, stirring once, until opaque and cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter until melted. Transfer the seafood and any cooking liquid to a bowl and set aside.
4. In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken stock concentrates and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the drained spaghetti, the cooked seafood with its liquid, the garlic herb butter, half the parsley and half the Parmesan to the pan. Toss to coat, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the pasta evenly. If the cheese clumps, keep stirring and add more water until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining parsley, remaining Parmesan and chili flakes to taste. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp and scallops?

Yes, just thaw them completely and pat dry before cooking to avoid excess water in the pan.

What can I substitute for chicken stock concentrate?

You can use ½ cup of chicken broth reduced by half or omit it and add a bit more pasta water and salt.

How do I know when the seafood is cooked?

Shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque; scallops should be firm and opaque. Internal temperature should reach 145°F.