Shrimp Spaghetti

Pull out a package of dried spaghetti, and you might be tempted to just grab a jar of tomato sauce and a bag of meatballs, too. But this thin, long pasta has many uses, and looks completely different when tossed with delicate and bright ingredients like sweet peppers and shrimp. It’s almost like the pasta has emerged from its heavy winter layers and is ready for a sunny beach day.

Such one-dish pasta recipes come together surprisingly quickly. If you chop and cook the vegetables as the pasta water heats, you’ll be ready to drain the spaghetti while the shrimp sizzle, then toss everything together immediately. Wow the family with shrimp spaghetti as a weeknight dinner, or serve it for a quick main dish if you’re entertaining.

Shrimp Spaghetti Ingredients

• Spaghetti: These long, thin, round noodles are just one of many pasta shapes. If you don’t have spaghetti, substitute another long pasta, like flatter linguine, thinner capellini, wider fettuccine or pappardelle, or hollow bucatini.
• Bell pepper: Combining sweet red pepper and slightly tarter green pepper increases this pasta’s complexity and colorfulness. Look for green bell peppers in their own produce bin; these days, you’re unlikely to find them in bell pepper multipacks.
• Onion: When sauteed in olive oil until golden, onions add a sweet note to pasta dishes. When the recipe doesn’t specify the types of onions, assume it means a yellow onion. Use red onion or purple shallots to give this shrimp spaghetti recipe even more colors.
• Garlic: This shrimp spaghetti recipe calls for thinly sliced garlic cloves, not minced.
• Seasonings: This light pasta and shellfish dish doesn’t need the same heavy seasonings as a rich tomato and meat sauce. Salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper provide plenty of flavor.
• Shrimp: Use 2 pounds of medium-sized shrimp (31-40 per pound). That way, you can twirl a forkful of pasta and still pop a shrimp onto the tines for a reasonable bite. Our recipe calls for cooked shrimp, but you can also use peeled and deveined raw shrimp.
• Parmesan cheese: Since this shrimp spaghetti recipe does not include creamy or rich sauce, pile on the cheese. For the best flavor, look for a wedge labeled Parmigiano-Reggiano (as opposed to Parmesan) and grate it yourself.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain it and set it aside.

Editor’s Tip: Long noodles often clump together when they hit boiling water, so give them a good stir when you drop them into the pot. Make sure they stay completely submerged, and stir them again every few minutes. Save about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water to help create a sauce later, if desired.

Step 2: Saute the vegetables

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook until they’re tender, four to five minutes.

Step 3: Cook the shrimp

Add the garlic, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper and cook for one minute longer. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, four to five minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Because we’re using precooked shrimp, you want to cook them just long enough to heat through. Otherwise, they’ll be rubbery.

Step 4: Toss and serve

Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat it. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

Editor’s Tip: Add some of the saved starchy pasta water (if you remember) to toss with the cooked pasta and vegetables. It will create a light and creamy sauce.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Shrimp Spaghetti Variations

• Use raw shrimp: If your shrimp spaghetti seems rubbery and overcooked, start with uncooked shrimp instead. Cook the shrimp just until they turn pink and begin to curl, no more than five minutes.
• Saute other vegetables: When you cook the onion, mix in fresh sliced mushrooms or zucchini for a more vegetable-forward pasta. Fresh tomato has a lightness you won’t get from a fully cooked tomato sauce. Dice a plum tomato or halve a handful of cherry tomatoes and add them with the shrimp.
• Give it a green finish: If you throw in a handful or two of baby spinach or arugula at the end, it wilts and softens without becoming mushy. Toss the shrimp and pasta, add the greens and then immediately cover the pan and let it sit for a minute or two. Remove the lid and toss the pasta again before sprinkling it with Parmesan.

How to Store Shrimp Spaghetti

Store leftover shrimp spaghetti in an airtight container for up to four days. Because you started with precooked shrimp, they might get a little rubbery when you reheat them.

How do you reheat shrimp spaghetti?

You could reheat a bowl of leftover shrimp spaghetti in the microwave, but the shellfish will probably come out chewy. For the best texture, pick out the shrimp and reheat just the pasta, tossed with a couple of tablespoons of water, on the stovetop over medium heat for about three minutes or until hot. Then drop the heat to low, add the shrimp back in and stir gently until warm.

Shrimp Spaghetti Tips

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Can you use raw shrimp for shrimp and spaghetti?

Raw shrimp cooks fast, so it overcooks easily. Perfectly cooked shrimp curl softly into a C shape and have an opaque pink hue. All it takes is a gentle press of a fork to pierce the flesh and release savory juices. When overcooked, shrimp tighten into a dense O shape, and their color fades. You’ll need extra pressure to poke into the now-tough flesh with a fork.

How do you clean shrimp?

If using fresh or frozen raw shrimp, it’s easy to clean shrimp before using it. If the shrimp are frozen, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or under cold running water before removing the shells. Then, pinch the shrimp flesh in one hand and grab the shell with the other to peel it off from the head end toward the tail. If the tail shell is attached, pinch the tip, tug and wiggle gently until it pops free.

What else can you serve with shrimp spaghetti?

It’s always tempting to serve hot pasta dishes with a side of crusty garlic bread, but you can opt for a fresh side salad recipe instead. Hot-yet-simple vegetable dishes, like roasted radishes or green beans amandine, pair well, too. If you serve the pasta as a one-dish meal, leave room for a refreshing dessert like watermelon sorbet or a rustic ginger plum tart.