• Pasta: 1 pound of linguine or fettuccine pasta, dried. The starch released from long pasta varieties helps create a creamy sauce in a one-pot dish.
• Shrimp: 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined. Choose fresh or frozen shrimp (thawed) for the best flavor and texture.
• Butter: ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter. Butter is essential for richness and flavor in the garlic butter sauce.
• Garlic: 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced. Freshly minced garlic provides a pungent and aromatic base for the sauce.
• Chicken Broth: 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. Broth cooks the pasta and creates the flavorful liquid base for the sauce.
• Heavy Cream: ½ cup of heavy cream. Heavy cream adds richness and creaminess to the sauce, making it luxurious.
• White Wine (Optional): ½ cup of dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio). Wine adds depth of flavor and acidity to balance the richness of the butter and cream.
• Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice brightens the flavors and cuts through the richness of the sauce.
• Red Pepper Flakes (Optional): ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Adds a subtle kick of heat to complement the garlic butter flavors.
• Fresh Parsley: ¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped. Fresh parsley adds a pop of color and fresh, herbaceous flavor.
• Parmesan Cheese: ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving. Parmesan cheese adds saltiness, umami, and helps thicken the sauce.
• Salt and Black Pepper: To taste. Essential for seasoning and enhancing all the flavors in the dish.
• Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Used for sautéing the garlic and shrimp initially, adding flavor and preventing sticking.
