Peel the garlic cloves by lightly crushing each one with the side of a knife. Remove the skins and finely mince the garlic. Set aside until ready to cook.

If using shell-on shrimp:

Remove the shells.

Leave the tails on if preferred.

Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cut along the back of each shrimp.

Remove the dark digestive tract.

Rinse if needed and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

Dry shrimp brown much better than wet shrimp.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.

Reserve a little pasta water if desired before draining.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Add:

Olive oil

Butter

Once the butter melts, stir in the minced garlic.

Cook for about one minute while stirring constantly. The garlic should become fragrant but not dark brown.

Mix in:

Lemon zest

White wine

Salt

Fresh lemon juice

Allow the sauce to simmer until it reduces by about half. This concentrates the flavor while allowing the alcohol to cook off.

Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the skillet.

Avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook in batches if necessary.

Cook for approximately:

2 minutes on the first side

Flip each shrimp

Cook another 1–2 minutes

The shrimp should turn pink and opaque while remaining juicy inside.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Sprinkle generously with freshly chopped parsley.

Toss gently so the shrimp become coated in the buttery garlic sauce.

Place cooked spaghetti onto serving plates.

Top with the shrimp and spoon plenty of garlic butter sauce over the pasta.

Finish with:

Fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

Extra lemon juice if desired

Serve immediately while hot.