Garlic Shrimp Marinara Pasta — The 20-Minute Seafood Dinner

Authentic Italian Gourmet Pasta Sauce. No Added Sugar. Ever.

Shrimp marinara is the pasta dish that makes people think you're a better cook than you are. Plump, garlicky shrimp in a bright, rich marinara over linguine — it looks impressive, tastes extraordinary, and comes together in twenty minutes. The secret is a great sauce.

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara — authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce with no added sugar — is the sauce that makes this dish taste like it came from a restaurant on the Amalfi Coast. The natural sweetness of the shrimp plays against the bright, tomato-forward marinara in a way that's clean, vibrant, and deeply satisfying.

• 1 lb large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined
• 1 jar Albanese's Finest Original Marinara (24 oz)
• 1 lb linguine or spaghetti
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Kosher salt & cracked black pepper
• Reserved pasta water

Step 1 — Season and dry the shrimp. Pat shrimp completely dry. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Step 2 — Sear the shrimp. Heat olive oil and butter in a wide skillet over high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer. Sear 90 seconds per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Step 3 — Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced garlic and remaining red pepper flakes to the same pan. Cook 60–90 seconds until golden and fragrant. Deglaze with white wine if using.

Step 4 — Add the marinara. Pour in the marinara. Stir to combine. Simmer 5–6 minutes over medium-low heat.

Step 5 — Cook the pasta. Boil linguine in heavily salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

Step 6 — Combine. Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss over medium heat, adding pasta water as needed. Return the shrimp to the pan in the last 60 seconds.

Step 7 — Serve. Plate immediately. Top with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

Dry the shrimp. Wet shrimp steam instead of sear. Patting them completely dry is the most important step for getting that golden crust.

High heat for the sear. You want the pan screaming hot when the shrimp go in. High heat = golden, caramelized shrimp. Medium heat = gray, steamed shrimp.

The lemon is not optional. A squeeze of fresh lemon over the finished dish brightens everything and makes the flavors pop. Don't skip it.

Variations

Shrimp Marinara with Capers: Add 2 tbsp of capers to the sauce for a puttanesca-style variation.

Shrimp Marinara with White Wine: Double the white wine and let it reduce more aggressively for a more pronounced wine flavor.

Shrimp Vodka Pasta: Prefer a creamy sauce? See our Shrimp in Vodka Mascarpone Sauce recipe.

About the Sauce

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara is made with no added sugar — which means the natural sweetness of the shrimp comes through clean against the bright, tomato-forward sauce. It's the authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce that makes shrimp marinara taste like the real thing.

No added sugar. Small-batch. Founder-made.

Shop Original Marinara →

Related recipes: Classic Spaghetti Marinara · Shrimp in Vodka Mascarpone Sauce · Easy Penne Marinara