This creamy summer shrimp pasta will quickly become a favorite summer dinner. Light yet luscious, it features fresh tomatoes, sweet corn and bright lemon in a silky cream sauce.
Summer pasta dishes are some of my go-to meals as the season winds down. They capture peak tomatoes and corn on the cob—two of the best summer ingredients. I love recipes in this family like lemon basil chicken pasta, Thai peanut chicken noodle salad, white wine gnocchi with shrimp and creamy Cajun shrimp pasta.
This recipe was first published August 10, 2020.
Is there anything better than a summery bowl of pasta? I eat pasta year-round, but summer calls for tomatoes, corn and lots of lemon.
And a creamy lemon sauce with shrimp—honestly, nothing beats it. This dish is the perfect, easy summer shrimp recipe.
How To Cook Shrimp
Shrimp cook very quickly, which is why they can easily become rubbery if overcooked. The moment they turn pink and opaque, they’re done. If you’re unsure, take a quick photo of raw shrimp before cooking and compare it to the cooked color—the difference is often obvious.
Use a hot pan so the shrimp sear instead of releasing their juices. A warm pan can cause them to steam and become chewy. Cook in a single layer, turning once—total cook time is usually just a few minutes depending on size.
Pasta Noodles
Fun pasta shapes make dinner more enjoyable—I usually let my kids pick the shape. For this recipe I like spiral fusilli because it holds the cream sauce well, but you can use bow ties, elbows, linguine or any noodle you prefer.
Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining; it helps loosen and bind the sauce when you toss everything together.
How To Make Summer Shrimp Pasta
This recipe is quick and straightforward. Start by cleaning and deveining the shrimp, then pat them dry so they sear nicely. Generously season with salt and pepper.
Boil the pasta according to package instructions and add frozen corn to the pot a few minutes before it’s done. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain.
In a hot sauté pan, melt butter and add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook until they start to turn pink, about two minutes per side depending on size. Add minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
Pour in chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice and half-and-half, then add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Bring the sauce to a brief boil, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the cooked pasta, corn, halved cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley. Toss everything together; the sauce will thicken slightly as it sits. Add more pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Follow the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions. This one-pan method (plus a pot for pasta) keeps cleanup simple and lets the bright summer flavors shine.
More Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta – a reader favorite
- Buttery Lemon Chicken With Pasta and Basil – perfect for basil lovers
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta – extra creamy with plenty of Parmesan
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta – a bit spicy and made with Greek yogurt instead of mayo
- Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta – bright and savory with sun-dried tomatoes
- Lemon Basil Chicken Pasta with Tomatoes – light, lemony and fresh
- Broccoli Chicken Cheese Pasta – a kid-friendly mac-and-cheese twist
- Tara’s Easy Stovetop Lasagna – a quick lasagna alternative
- World’s Best Beef Stroganoff – the most popular recipe on the site
Creamy Summer Shrimp Pasta
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
This creamy summer shrimp pasta is light, creamy and made with tomatoes, corn and fresh lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp
- 8 oz pasta, any long noodle
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 large lemon, juiced (use two if small)
- ½ cup half-and-half
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1½ cups frozen corn
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Clean and devein the shrimp.
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions; reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Add the frozen corn to the pasta pot a few minutes before it’s done, then drain everything together and set aside.
- In a hot sauté pan, melt the butter and add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until they begin to turn pink (about 2 minutes per side depending on size).
- Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, half-and-half and a splash of reserved pasta water. Bring to a brief boil, about 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low.
- Add the cooked pasta, corn, halved tomatoes and chopped parsley to the pan. Toss to coat; the sauce will thicken as it sits. Add more pasta water if needed to reach your desired consistency.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 334
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 183mg
Sodium: 936mg
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 24g
Nutrition figures are estimates from online calculators.