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This quick and easy pasta recipe for spaghetti with garlic, shrimp and parsley is one of my go-to favorites for a fast, delicious school night dinner or light weekend supper. It serves up high-quality shrimp protein, heart-healthy olive oil, immune-boosting garlic, vitamin C from the lemon, and antioxidants, minerals and dietary fiber from the fresh parsley…and tastes amazing! The key to this recipe is to use fresh herbs, real lemon and not to overcook the shrimp…you just want to warm them and blend the flavors. I keep several bags of frozen shrimp in my freezer just for this dish.
Ingredients
(serves 4 for dinner, 6 for lunch)
- 1 lb. (16 oz.) package of spaghetti
- 1 (24 oz.) package frozen, (cooked and peeled) large shrimp (35-45 pieces)
- 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tbs. butter
- 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (more to taste)
- A handful of fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, rinsed, dried and rough chopped
- 1-2 tbs. fresh lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
- Salt and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Put a large pot of water on to boil. (Use 4 quarts/litres for a pound of pasta.)
While the water is heating place the frozen shrimp in a colander in the sink and run lukewarm water over them until thawed, about 5 minutes. (Don’t leave them in a bowl of water, the water should be moving). Once the shrimp are thawed, remove the tails (optional). Do this under running water to make it easier. Place the clean shrimp on paper towels to dry.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, add 2 tbs of salt and drop in the pasta. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Follow the cooking time on the package (about 10 minutes) or until just al dente (firm to the bite). The pasta will continue to cook once combined with the sauce so slightly underdone is perfect!
While the pasta is cooking add the olive oil to a medium-size cold saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about a minute or two. Don’t allow the garlic to brown or it will be bitter. Add the butter, half of the fresh parsley, the lemon juice, and the lemon zest. Season lightly with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper and stir. Add in the shrimp and toss until well coated. Reduce the heat to low. You just want the flavors to blend and the shrimp to warm. You do NOT want to cook the shrimp. If your pasta will take a while, just take the shrimp pan off the heat and let it sit. The flavors will continue to blend.
A minute before the pasta is done, carefully reserve a 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and add the hot pasta back into the hot pot, off the heat. Add the shrimp and sauce, scraping with a rubber spatula to get every tasty bit. Toss gently. Add the pasta water, a splash at a time, to smooth out the sauce to a lovely, satiny finish. Add the remainder of the fresh parsley. Serve immediately with a green salad, crisp white wine and fresh bread.
To make it a meal in a bowl, add a cup of fresh or frozen peas, broccoli or asparagus pieces to the pasta water during the last 2 minutes. Drain with the pasta and toss with the sauce.
