Easy Italian Shrimp Pasta – An Italian in my Kitchen

This Shrimp Pasta, is a delicious fresh herb Italian sautéed shrimp recipe, made even better served tossed with pasta. Fast and easy never tasted so good. Make it your next dinner idea, perfect for a family or special occasion get together!

I have to admit I am not a great lover of fish. I have come to enjoy a few types of fish such as Italian baked trout or even a delicious seafood appetizer, but I would have a hard choice of choosing fish or meat unless of course you might be talking about this shrimp & pasta dish!

I am a devout follower of anything made with pasta. I can’t get enough. And this shrimp pasta is easy and delicious, so what more could you ask for? It is the perfect quick and easy dinner recipe, ready in about 15 minutes. It’s even fancy enough for guests.

Ingredients for the recipe

• Shrimp
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Italian Parsley
• Salt
• Hot Pepper Flakes
• Cooked Pasta

What is the best shrimp to use?

Be sure to use good quality fresh or frozen shrimp that is peeled, or peel and devein it yourself. Any size of shrimp works here as long as you don’t overcook it. I sometimes get pre-cooked shrimp and that only take 1-2 minutes to cook.

How to make Shrimp Pasta

In a large pot, boil the water, add salt and the pasta, continue on a hard boil stirring often. Cook the pasta until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan add the olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley, shrimp, salt and hot pepper flakes if desired. Cook on medium heat until the shrimp are cooked and no longer pink.

When shrimps are cooked, add the cooked al dente pasta and some of the pasta water, cook on high heat tossing together until the water has evaporated almost becoming a creamy mixture, serve immediately topped with fresh chopped parsley.

How to cook pasta

Always cook the pasta in enough water, you will need 4 cups (1 litre) for 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) of pasta. Be sure to choose the correct size pot, you don’t want the water to reach the rim and overflow, because pasta, when cooked, can increase in volume up to three times. Always cover the pot when boiling the water, but remove it once the pasta has been added.

Calculate about 5g (1 teaspoon) of salt for every litre (quart) of water. Add the salt only when the water has reached a boil and never before.

After adding the pasta to the pot, bring it back to a boil and keep it at a boil while the pasta is cooking. This allows the pasta to achieve an even cooking, be sure to stir frequently while it is cooking.

Never pass the freshly drained pasta under running tap water. You should never stop the cooking, even when you are making a cold pasta salad, let it cool by adding a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking.

Drain the pasta al dente, this is done by tasting, if it has a bite to it it’s ready, nothing worse than mushy pasta. If you have to toss the pasta in a pan with sauce then cook it at least one minute less. And be sure to leave some pasta water to add to the pan.

What is the best shrimp to use

I usually use medium to large shrimp. You can either use peeled shrimp or leave it unpeeled. I was always taught to leave it unpeeled, that way you eat the delicious pasta that is full of so much flavour, from the shrimp, olive oil and fresh parsley, a meal in itself first.

And then you dine on the shrimp. Much like the peel and eat shrimp you have in a restaurant. Believe me for something that comes together so quickly it is hard to imagine it could taste so amazing.

Or if you prefer peel the shrimp before cooking and then you just eat the pasta together with the shrimp. Either way it is the perfect Italian Pasta dish that takes no time to make and that is really yummy.

What is the best pasta to serve with shrimp?

I prefer to use a long pasta, either spaghetti or linguine would work. I am not a big lover of spaghettini or angel hair so I wouldn’t recommend either. I like more of a bite. But again, it’s up to you. This recipe calls for three cups cooked pasta, which means that two ounces of dried pasta should give you more or less one cup of cooked.

How to store leftovers

Store any leftovers in an air tight container, properly stored, the pasta will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Can I add tomatoes to the shrimp?

Yes you can, I recommend adding 15 or so halved grape tomatoes to the garlic and oil, cook for about 10 minutes then add the shrimp and continue with the recipe.

can you use frozen shrimp?

You can use frozen shrimp, just make sure there is nothing added, no sauce or spices. Let it thaw then drain and pat dry to remove excess moisture.

More shrimp recipes to try

So if you are looking for a quick and easy Pasta recipe I hope you give this Shrimp Pasta a try and let me know how it turns out. Buon Appetito!

Updated from February 25, 2014.

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