If you’re craving a light yet satisfying meal that comes together in 30 minutes, this garlic shrimp spaghetti is the dish you need. It combines everything you want from Mediterranean cooking: fresh ingredients, bold flavor, and effortless simplicity. Perfect for weeknights or a casual dinner with friends.
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The Mediterranean way of eating
The Mediterranean way of eating isn’t just a food trend—it’s a time-tested lifestyle built on seasonal produce, lean proteins, and good fats. Meals are made to be shared and enjoyed slowly. This garlic shrimp pasta honors that tradition with its balance of protein, healthy fats, and carbs.
While this dish isn't a traditional Greek recipe in itself, it draws inspiration from the garlic shrimp dishes served in coastal tavernas from Thessaloniki (North) to Crete (South). Greeks love seafood, and shellfish like shrimp are often sautéed in olive oil with plenty of garlic, herbs, and lemon.
Seafood harvesting, processing, and consumption are ancient practices around the Mediterranean Basin, and people living in coastal areas know how to cook these sea gems provided in abundance by nature. That’s why fish and seafood are a staple of the Mediterranean way of eating. From exquisite seafood mezze dishes (appetizers) to main dishes with fish and shrimp.
How to cook shrimp
Roasted, grilled, or fried? Shrimp is such a delicious and versatile ingredient that I can hardly believe those who don't like it. Additionally, it is a source of lean protein and an excellent source of iron, niacin, and phosphorus.
Apart from the nutritional profile, I find shrimp rather intriguing, if not a challenging, ingredient to handle. A cooked-to-perfection shrimp should be succulent enough with a bouncy texture but not mushy (so gross!) and firm with a slight hint of a crunch that should not approach chewy texture. Gosh! It does sound like “kitchen rocket science”, doesn't it?
As far as the taste is concerned, this is a whole new ball game. Two words: bland taste. Raise your hand if you have ever experienced tasteless shrimp. Or even worse, shrimp with a chalky, metallic taste that makes me furious and I want to force-feed the chef/cook with that hideous crap every single time.
I guess the bottom line is that cooking shrimp is all about the balance between taste and texture. A combination well-known and cultivated for centuries in the Mediterranean area.
Key ingredients
Here are the ingredients for this recipe.
Shrimp: Any size fresh or frozen raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.
Fresh shrimp is my first choice, but frozen shrimp is a good choice too (often the only choice). However, I am selective and always check the labels for “I.Q.F.,” which stands for individually quick frozen, and for FAO 37, which stands for the Mediterranean fishing area. Finally, I would like to buy shrimp in the shell because the shell protects the product better.
Spaghetti: Or any long pasta like linguine.
Garlic: Thinly sliced or finely chopped.
Olive Oil: An important Mediterranean ingredient for flavor and proper sautéing.
Fresh parsley: We love its freshness.
Rosemary: It is an important ingredient for the herb paste.
Dried or fresh cilantro (coriander): If you like cilantro, go for it. But if cilantro tastes like soap (like it does to my hubby and me), skip it. It is said that this soap's taste is attributed to genetic differences in taste perception. It sounds right because we really, REALLY cannot even smell it.
Lemon juice and zest: the combo adds brightness.
Honey: It adds sweetness.
Sweet paprika: We need its subtle sweetness.
Mustard: It binds the sweet and sour taste.
Red pepper flakes: For extra heat (optional).
How to make shrimp spaghetti
Let's make this amazing recipe.
STEP #1: In a skillet, add olive oil, garlic, rosemary, parsley, and coriander (optional) over moderate heat until olive oil is well heated for 5-6 minutes.
Let aside for as long as you can for all these magnificent herbs to infuse their aromas into the olive oil. The final step is to strain, keep the infused olive oil, and keep the herb paste for the rest of the recipe.
STEP #2: Place the herbal paste in a food processor and whiz until it resembles a fine paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Start preparing the honey-lemon-mustard-sweet paprika combo. Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
STEP #3: Heat the herb-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prepared herb paste and stir to combine. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and sauté until they turn pink.
Flip the shrimp and immediately pour in the honey-lemon mixture. Continue cooking until the shrimp are opaque and fully cooked through.
STEP #4: Prepare pasta according to package directions. Use a fork or tongs to grip and lift pasta right in the skillet.
Expert tips
The olive oil: No need to add more olive oil. Use only the infused olive oil.
The shrimp: I usually don’t devein small-sized shrimp because it takes forever, and I hate crushing the poor things. However, I believe it is necessary for medium/large ones because the outcome tastes funny and sometimes gives a bitter aftertaste.
Don’t overcook the shrimp—they only need a few minutes per side (see he recipe card below).
Finally, don't overcrowd the skillet. If the shrimp do not fit in a single layer, cook them in two batches. Once the first batch is done, transfer the shrimp to a plate and add the second batch to the skillet. When all the shrimp are cooked, return them to the skillet before adding the cooked spaghetti.
The spaghetti: Boil the pasta according to the package instructions. If you prefer your spaghetti al dente, remove it from the water 1 minute before the time indicated on the package.
How to serve this shrimp spaghetti
Shrimp spaghetti is best served hot, right after tossing the pasta with the sauce and shrimp, so the flavors are vibrant and the texture is perfect. Plate it generously, and make sure each serving includes a good balance of shrimp, pasta, and sauce.
Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a generous sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley. Grated Kefalotyri, Parmesan, or Mizithra cheese can be added just before serving — but this is optional. For heat, offer red pepper flakes on the side.
To elevate the dish further:
Serve it with a side of warm pita or crusty country bread to scoop up any remaining sauce.
Enjoy your shrimp spaghetti with a light salad, like a simple Greek salad (tomato-cucumber-feta) or a crispy cabbage salad on the side, to cut through the richness.
Pair with a crisp white wine like Assyrtiko, Moschofilero, or a dry rosé.
How to store and freeze
Storing in the fridge: Allow the shrimp spaghetti to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight food container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to keep the pasta and sauce together, as the flavors continue to develop beautifully overnight.
Freezing: In theory, you can freeze this pasta, but I don't usually recommend it.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Stir continuously until warmed through. Avoid using high heat to prevent overcooking the shrimp.
More Mediterranean pasta recipes
If you like this recipe, you are going to love those Mediterranean pasta dishes.
I would love to hear your feedback. It keeps my kitchen alive and my spirits high. Save this recipe and leave your rate and comment below, or take a photo of your shrimp spaghetti and tag me on Instagram with #30daysofgreekfood and Facebook with @30daysofgreekfood.
Recipe
Mediterranean Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 pounds medium or large shrimp, deveined, peeled, tail end left on
- 1 LB (about 500g) spaghetti or other long pasta
FOR THE INFUSED OLIVE OIL
- 10 small cloves of garlic, green germ removed, cut in half
- ½ cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried, chopped
- 1 cup parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped (optional)
FOR THE LEMON-HONEY MIXTURE
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 lemon, juice, and zest
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon mild mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR GARNISHING (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Red hot chili pepper flakes
- Cheese, grated
Instructions
MAKE THE INFUSED OLIVE OIL
- In a skillet over moderate heat, add olive oil, garlic, rosemary, parsley, and coriander (optional) until the olive oil is well heated for 5-6 minutes. Don’t let the olive reach smoking point. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the garlic-herb mixture, collecting the infused olive oil in a small bowl. Transfer the strained solids to a food processor and blend until a smooth, aromatic paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed to ensure even consistency. Add a bit of olive oil if the paste is too dense.
MAKE THE LEMON-HONEY MIXTURE
- In a small bowl, mix well honey, lemon juice and zest, paprika, and mustard. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
ASSEMBLE
- Heat the herb-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prepared herb paste and stir to combine. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer*1 and sauté until they turn pink—about 1 to 2 minutes for medium-sized shrimp or 2 to 3 minutes for large-sized shrimp.
- Flip the shrimp and immediately pour in the honey-lemon mixture. Stir gently to coat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Continue cooking until the shrimp are opaque and fully cooked through, no more than 2 minutes for medium shrimp and 3 minutes for large. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions *2 until al dente. Using tongs or a pasta fork, transfer the cooked pasta directly into the skillet with the shrimp and sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly and warm through. Remove from heat.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley, red chili pepper flakes (optional), or cheese (optional).
Notes
- Do not overcrowd the skillet. If the shrimp do not fit in a single layer, cook them in two batches. Once the first batch is done, transfer the shrimp to a plate and add the second batch to the skillet. When all the shrimp are cooked, return them to the skillet before adding the cooked spaghetti.
- Boil the pasta according to the package instructions. Don't forget to add salt to the boiling water before adding the pasta. If you prefer your spaghetti al dente, remove it from the water 1 minute before the time indicated on the package.
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