- 8-10 oz pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
- 1 lb shrimp (peeled, deveined)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2-3 cups fresh spinach
- 3-4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- Salt & black pepper
Step 1: Get The Pasta GoingBring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta until al dente—usually 8 to 10 minutes.Before draining, scoop out about ½ cup of pasta water. Don’t skip this. It’s the secret to a smooth sauce later. Step 2: Cook The Shrimp (Quick, Don’t Blink)Heat olive oil or butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook for about 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.Then take them out. Right away.Honestly, this is where most people go wrong. Leave them too long, and they turn rubbery. No coming back from that. Step 3: Build The Flavor BaseSame pan. Lower the heat slightly.Add garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds—just until fragrant.Then toss in the tomatoes. Let them cook down for 5–7 minutes until they soften and release their juices.If you’re using white wine, this is the moment. Pour a splash, let it simmer off. Step 4: Add Spinach (It Shrinks Fast)Stir in the spinach. It’ll look like too much at first. Give it a minute—it wilts down quickly.Now your pan looks like an actual dish instead of separate ingredients. That’s a good sign. Step 5: Bring It All TogetherAdd the drained pasta and shrimp back into the pan.Toss everything gently. Add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.Finish with lemon juice and Parmesan.Taste. Adjust salt. Maybe a pinch of chili flakes.And that’s it.
