The classic shrimp and pasta combination is a simple one that can result in a million different entrée creations. Whether you’re looking for a quick dinner to prepare after a long day at work, a perfect meal to impress a date or an elegant dish for a fall dinner party, these delicious seafood dishes are sure to impress you and your guests.
Spinach and Tomato Shrimp Pasta
This one-pot meal can be made in 30 minutes or less and is full of flavor and fresh ingredients. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper and shrimp (peeled and deveined with shells removed). Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp is pale pink. Remove from heat and set aside. In the same skillet add chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach and garlic. Cook until flavors are released, about 3-5 minutes. Add the shrimp back to the skillet with cooked penne al dente and add a touch more olive oil. Serve immediately.
Roll-Up Shrimp Scampi
This isn’t your traditional shrimp pasta dish, but we can guarantee it will be one of your favorites. In a large skillet, melt butter and cook 4 cloves of minced garlic until fragrant. Then whisk 3 tablespoons of flour and combine until golden. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of whole milk, 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and a dash of red pepper flakes. Allow the mixture to thicken for a few minutes then add 1/2 cup of your favorite dry white wine, 1/2 cup of fresh mozzarella, 1/2 cup of fresh parmesan, salt and pepper. Add the prepared shrimp and cook for about 2 more minutes or until pink. Add a touch of lemon juice once you remove the pan from the heat. Once the sauce is finished, add a small layer of it to the bottom of a baking dish. On a separate baking sheet, evenly spread cooked lasagna noodles. On each noodle, spread a layer of ricotta cheese and top with the cooked scampi mixture. Roll the noodles up and add to the baking dish, then top with mozzarella and add more sauce. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Lemon, Asparagus and Shrimp Spaghetti
This straightforward spaghetti recipe is perfect to throw together any day of the week and it’s simple so you can add a unique touch to make it your own. Add butter and minced garlic to a skillet on medium high. Sauté until fragrant. Add asparagus to skillet and cook until tender (4-5 minutes). Mix in the shrimp and cook until pink and season with salt and pepper. Finally, add lemon juice, lemon slices, 1/4 cup of parmesan and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Let this simmer until thickened, add cooked spaghetti and serve. You can easily substitute this sauce with a pesto, add mushrooms or season your shrimp with Cajun spices to mix things up.
These dishes are perfect for any occasion and will have you whipping up shrimp and pasta like a pro! There are so many ways to combine simple ingredients in order to please a variety of palates.