10/30/2026
Roasted garlic, buttery noodles and juicy shrimp. ๐ค๐ง
Soft golden garlic turns into a glossy sauce that clings to every strandโfinished with Parmesan, parsley and a little chili heat.
Adapted recipe for 4.
Serves: 4
Prep: about 15 minutes
Cook: about 40โ50 minutes, with pasta and shrimp prepared during garlic roasting
Total: about 55โ65 minutes, including preheating
Equipment: oven, small glass baking dish, heat-safe board, large saucepan, colander, large heat-safe wooden mixing bowl, wooden spoon, fork, ladle, tongs and shallow serving bowls
Ingredients
โข 14 oz (400 g) dry spaghetti
โข 1.1 lb (500 g) large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
โข 2 large heads garlic, about 100 g peeled cloves
โข 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil, for roasting; use 2 tbsp of the cooked garlic oil in the sauce
โข 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
โข 2/3 cup (60 g) finely grated Parmesan, divided
โข 1/4 cup (15 g) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
โข 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or less to taste
โข 1 cup (240 ml) reserved hot pasta water; start with 1/2 cup
โข Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC). Put the peeled garlic and olive oil in a small baking dish, keeping the cloves in a compact layer. Roast for about 35โ45 minutes, until very soft and lightly golden. Avoid dark browning. Remove using suitable heat protection and let the dish stand on a heat-safe board for a few minutes.
2. During the last 15 minutes of roasting, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Gently poach the shrimp until firm, pearly and opaque, about 2โ4 minutes depending on size; aim for 145ยฐF (63ยฐC). Remove with a clean slotted spoon and keep warm. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to its package until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining.
3. Spoon the soft garlic into a large heat-safe mixing bowl with 2 tbsp of its cooking oil. Mash with the butter using a fork. Mix in 45 g Parmesan, most of the parsley, the chili flakes and a little black pepper.
4. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup hot pasta water until the sauce becomes creamy. Add the hot spaghetti and cooked shrimp, then fold with tongs. Add more pasta water a splash at a time only as needed to coat the strands. Taste before adding extra salt.
5. Divide among four shallow bowls. Spoon over the sauce left in the mixing bowl, finish with the remaining Parmesan and parsley, and serve immediately.