Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta
Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Basil is a classic combo of seafood and pasta. It's a quick, easy dinner recipe that is ready in just 20 minutes! Serve with crusty bread and a green salad for a delicious weeknight meal!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 429kcal
Ingredients
- 8-12 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 7 medium roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Add the diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and white wine or chicken broth (I just used the broth). Bring everything to a simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente (typically 3-4 minutes). Reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and nestle them in the sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the shrimp halfway through, until the shrimp turns pink. Be sure not to overcook the shrimp though or they will be tough and rubbery.
- Add butter and basil, and stir until the butter melts. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as you would like to moisten the pasta if needed, then serve with additional chopped basil and the parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Notes
- Shrimp cooks fast. Shrimp is a great solution for a weeknight dinner because it cooks so quickly, but if you overcook it you will end up with tough bites. It really only needs a few minutes to turn from grey to pink and then it's done!
- Reserve some of the pasta water before draining. You can add a little of the starchy water to finish the pasta dish to moisten things up a little if it needs it after tossing the pasta with the sauce. It gives a wonderfully silky texture and flavor to the dish.
- Use another protein or go meatless. Substitute 1 ½ to 2 cups of diced, cooked chicken or veggies like bell peppers, eggplant, or mushroom for the shrimp.
- Use a different type of pasta. This sauce pairs particularly well with the thin shape of angel hair pasta, but regular spaghetti or fettucine can be used. Keep in mind that they have longer cooking times so you may want to start them earlier than indicated in the recipe.
- Replace the chicken broth with white wine. This sauce can be made with white wine as the liquid instead of chicken broth, if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 577mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1421IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 2mg