On a scale of 1-10, you need this lemon garlic pasta with shrimp and scallops in your life yesterday! It’s quick, flavorful, bright, slightly sweet from the fresh seafood, and just an all around easy weeknight dinner! Use your favorite long, thin pasta (linguine pictured here!), which work especially well with lighter, oil-based pasta sauces, and don’t forget to serve with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped parsley.
Tips below for how to best sear scallops — don’t be scared, it’s easier than you’d think! — but really, if you love a good shrimp scampi, you will also go crazy for this shrimp and scallop pasta. It’s a total home run and perfect as we transition to lighter spring menus!
If you love seafood in pasta, be sure to try our Penne Alla Vodka With Shrimp or Spicy Crab Pasta next!
Ingredient Notes
- Long, thin pasta, such as: spaghetti, linguine, buccatini
- Fresh shellfish: sea scallops and jumbo shrimp (raw!)
- Extra virgin olive oil and unsalted butter
- Aromatics: garlic, anchovies, lemon, red pepper flakes
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you’re using frozen shrimp or scallops, make sure to thaw them completely overnight in a refrigerator, then place on paper towels to help absorb excess water. Water is exactly the thing that will prevent you from getting a good sear on seafood!
Note: cook time for shrimp will vary based on size! You can absolutely use smaller or larger shrimp — remove shrimp from the pan as soon as they are pink and opaque throughout. Overcooked shrimp are rubbery; no one wants that!
Equipment needed: a large pan or skillet, such as my all time favorite Staub braiser pictured here! This cast iron pan can do everything!
How To Make Lemon Garlic Pasta With Shrimp And Scallops
- Dry the scallops. Place sea scallops on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess moisture. Place a second paper towel on top, pressing very gently on top of the scallops. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Cook pasta. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, then season with Kosher salt. Cook pasta according to package directions till al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, then drain pasta.
- Sear scallops. While pasta is cooking, heat 4 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp oil over high heat in a large skillet. Season scallops and shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. When hot, add scallops to the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes, just until a golden brown crust has formed. Flip scallops, then cook an additional 1 minute. Remove to a tray.
4. Cook shrimp. Turn the heat down to medium-high, then add shrimp to the pan. Cook about 1-2 minutes per side, just until shrimp are opaque. Transfer to tray with scallops.
5. Char the lemon. Cut 1 lemon into thin slices about ¼” thick. Add lemon to the pan, then cook until charred, about 1 minute per side. Remove to the tray with seafood.
6. Make the sauce. Add another 2 Tbsp each of olive oil and unsalted butter, then add minced garlic, anchovies, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up the anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon, until melted into the sauce, about 3 minutes.
7. Add pasta. Pour in the drained, cooked pasta, along with ½ cup reserved cooking liquid. Stir to thoroughly coat pasta in the lemon garlic pasta sauce.
8. Serve immediately. Add seafood and cooked lemon slices back to the skillet, then stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve with a pinch of flaky sea salt, then garnish with additional cheese and herbs as desired.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to check out our post on how to sear scallops like a pro! The biggest take away is to make sure you buy dry sea scallops, not wet scallops. The former have no additives, while the latter are injected with water to plump them up. There is literally no way to sear a wet sea scallop because of all the water, no matter how long you leave it on a paper towel.
- We recommend using fresh seafood for this shrimp and scallop pasta! If using frozen, make sure to thaw completely overnight in a refrigerator, then dry on paper towels to help absorb any excess moisture.
- Reserve at least 1 cup cooking water before draining pasta! This is the secret to making any pasta sauce extra creamy!
- Finish the pasta in the lemon garlic sauce directly in a pan. Cooking pasta will help it absorb all those flavors better!
- To reheat pasta, place in a large skillet without seafood, then add a splash of water and cook over medium heat until it comes back to life. Add a drizzle or two of olive oil — or a couple tablespoons of butter — then add seafood right at the end just to warm up a touch. Don’t want to overcook any leftover shrimp and scallops!
Variations On Lemon Garlic Pasta
- Not a fan of seafood? Use chicken instead! Cut chicken breasts or chicken thighs into small 1″ pieces, then pan sear before adding lemon slices to the pan. Follow remaining instructions as written.
- Have an open bottle of white wine on hand? Add a hefty splash (about ½ cup) to the lemon garlic pasta sauce before you add the cooked linguine to the pan. It’ll add a lovely flavor with lots of depth!
- Don’t have fresh parsley? We recommend sticking with fresh herbs, so feel free to use whatever you’ve got on hand, including: rosemary (this is actually amazing with shrimp!), tarragon, chervil, or chives.
- Add any of the following: freshly chopped tomatoes, baby spinach, spring asparagus, even garlic confit would be fabulous!
This lemon garlic pasta is sure to please the seafood lover in your life, and it makes for one heck of an elegant (but quick!) weeknight dinner. Go grab that seafood, turn on some music, and let’s do this.
If you make this Lemon Garlic Pasta, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more pasta recipes, check out the following:
- Spaghetti alle vongole
- Rigatoni bolognese
- Chicken pesto pasta
- Pancetta pasta with arugula
- Spicy crab pasta
Lemon Garlic Pasta Recipe with Shrimp and Scallops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine or other thin, long pasta
- ½ lb sea scallops about 10-12 large
- ½ lb jumbo shrimp raw, deveined, tail peeled
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced, about 2 Tbsp
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 2 lemons divided, plus 1 tsp lemon zest reserved
- ¼ – ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley plus more for serving
Instructions
- Dry the scallops. Place sea scallops on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess moisture. Place a second paper towel on top, pressing very gently on top of the scallops. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Cook pasta. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, then season with Kosher salt. Cook pasta according to package directions till al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, then drain pasta.
- Sear scallops. While pasta is cooking, heat 4 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp oil over high heat in a large skillet. Season scallops and shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. When hot, add scallops to the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes, just until a golden brown crust has formed. Flip scallops, then cook an additional 1 minute. Remove to a tray.
- Cook shrimp. Turn the heat down to medium-high, then add shrimp to the pan. Cook about 1-2 minutes per side, just until shrimp are opaque. Transfer to tray with scallops.
- Char the lemon. Cut 1 lemon into thin slices about ¼" thick. Add lemon to the pan, then cook until charred, about 1 minute per side. Remove to the tray with seafood.
- Make the sauce. Add another 2 Tbsp each of olive oil and unsalted butter, then add minced garlic, anchovies, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up the anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon, until melted into the sauce, about 3 minutes.
- Add pasta. Pour in the drained, cooked pasta, along with ½ cup reserved cooking liquid. Stir to thoroughly coat pasta in the lemon garlic pasta sauce.
- Serve immediately. Add seafood and cooked lemon slices back to the skillet, then stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve with a pinch of flaky sea salt, then garnish with additional cheese and herbs as desired.
Notes
- Pasta: use any thin, long pasta
- Make sure to check out our post on how to sear scallops like a pro! The biggest take away is to make sure you buy dry sea scallops, not wet scallops. The former have no additives, while the latter are injected with water to plump them up. There is literally no way to sear a wet sea scallop because of all the water, no matter how long you leave it on a paper towel.
- We recommend using fresh seafood for this shrimp and scallop pasta! If using frozen, make sure to thaw completely overnight in a refrigerator, then dry on paper towels to help absorb any excess moisture.
- Reserve at least 1 cup cooking water before draining pasta!
- Finish the pasta in the lemon garlic sauce directly in a pan.
- To reheat pasta, place in a large skillet without seafood, then add a splash of water and cook over medium heat until it comes back to life. Add a drizzle or two of olive oil — or a couple tablespoons of butter — then add seafood right at the end just to warm up a touch.
My family enjoyed the pasta meal, I used shrimp only and next time less zest lemon(did not measure amount of zest I I used)
So glad to hear this, Rosie! xo, Ari
I just made this two nights in a row, that’s how good it is! I rarely try new recipes for company, but I’ve never had a Well Seasoned Studio recipe fail me, so I went for it, and everyone loved it.
One friend is gluten intolerant, so I did use GF pasta. I also added mushrooms and white wine per some of Ari’s suggestions/variations, as well as only frozen shrimp. Definitely make sure the shrimp are dry before cooking. This is now in our rotation of ‘fancy but easy’ dinners that I can’t wait to make it again!
That is some seriously high praise, thank you, Ashley!! Fancy but easy dinners are the BEST! xo, Ari
Made this as part of a Seven Fishes dinner. Topped with cod and Chilean Sea Bass. So easy and delicious!
Thrilled to hear it, Barbara! xo, Ari
I did not see lemon zest in the recipe, only 2 lemons divided. Great recipe, though.
Hi Phillip! Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. Updated in the ingredient list. So glad you enjoyed this one, I love all things scallops and shrimp! xo, Ari