What type of shrimp should I use?

If you're able to get fresh shrimp, great! If not frozen works fine. Look for individually frozen (IQF), wild, large, 16-21 shrimp per pound, for best results. For ease, I opt for Trader Joe's, wild, Chilean Shrimp that is peeled and deveined. If you can, find sustainable brands with labels of approval from groups like Marine Stewardship Council, Aquaculture Stewardship Council or Naturland.

What type of pasta should I use?

Our favorite for shrimp pasta is linguine, spaghetti or angel hair pasta, but you can use any pasta you like!

Can I substitute the shrimp for something else?

Yes! You can use another type of seafood, for example, scallops, or a try frozen shellfish mix.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Name: Shrimp Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 8 ounces pasta- linguini, spaghetti or other pasta; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 4-6 garlic cloves, rough shopped; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Aleppo chili pepper is nice here); ½ teaspoon cracked peppercorns; zest from one lemon; 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste; a couple handfuls kale, or sub other greens; spinach, chard, arugula, etc.; squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste; 1/4 cup Pecorino cheese- or sub parmesan; ½ cup fresh Italian parsley

Description

This Shrimp Pasta recipe is fast, easy and full of punchy flavor! Olive oil, lemon zest, fresh garlic, kale and red pepper flakes keep it light and flavorful. A delicious pasta dinner, ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Units

8 ounces pasta- linguini, spaghetti or other pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
4–6 garlic cloves, rough shopped
1/4–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Aleppo chili pepper is nice here)
1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
zest from one lemon
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
a couple handfuls kale, or sub other greens; spinach, chard, arugula, etc.
squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste
1/4 cup Pecorino cheese- or sub parmesan
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley

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Instructions

Bring two quarts of water to boil with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Boil pasta according to package directions, save 1 cup hot salted pasta water.
In an extra-large skillet, heat 3-4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute 3 minutes or until fragrant, add the chili flakes, black pepper and lemon zest, and saute 1 minute. Add the shrimp, season with salt, and cook until pink, “c” -shaped, and almost cooked through, about 4 minutes, turning over mid-way. Add the kale, and stir for one minute.
Drain the pasta saving one cup of hot pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet tossing well with the shrimp. Sprinkle in the pecorino cheese, tossing. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stir in the fresh parsley.
Taste. Season with more salt, or add some salted pasta water (if you want a saucier consistency), add more pepper, chili flakes and lemon juice to taste.
Once happy with the flavor, divide among bowls and top with more parsley and pecorino.

Notes

Toasted bread crumbs are a nice topping here to add texture. Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a skillet, add ¼ cup panko bread crumbs, season with salt, and toast over medium heat until golden.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Calories: 437
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 537.2 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 45.4 g
Fiber: 2.6 g
Protein: 33.1 g
Cholesterol: 189.9 mg