Description
A quick and flavorful shrimp pasta recipe featuring thick spaghetti tossed in a creamy parmesan and lemon sauce, with roasted cracked black pepper and garlic, finished with fresh parsley garnish. Ready in 30 minutes, perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- ½ pound thick spaghetti
- 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 lemon juiced
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
Seafood
- 1 pound extra large shrimp peeled and deveined
Garnish
- fresh chopped parsley
- fresh cracked black pepper
- shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil pasta: Bring 4 cups of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the thick spaghetti and cook for 9 minutes until slightly undercooked. Do not drain the pasta; reserve the pasta water for later use.
- Roast cracked pepper and garlic: Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of fresh cracked black pepper and roast for 2 minutes. Then grate the minced garlic cloves into the pan and stir, cooking until fragrant for about 1 minute.
- Add pasta water carefully: Very carefully pour ½ cup of the reserved pasta water into the pan with the pepper and garlic, stirring well. Be cautious as the water will steam and boil when added.
- Prepare parmesan sauce: In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup grated parmesan cheese with ¼ cup of pasta water and the juice of 1 lemon. Stir until the cheese slightly melts and forms a smooth sauce.
- Combine pasta and sauce base: Remove the cooked pasta from the water and add it to the frying pan. Add an additional ½ cup of pasta water and stir. Add a pinch of black pepper and toss to coat. Continue stirring for 3 minutes to finish cooking the pasta.
- Cook shrimp: Push the pasta mixture to one side of the pan. Add 4 tablespoons of salted butter to the empty side and let it melt. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp, cooking for 1 minute on one side, then turn and cook for another minute until shrimp are opaque white and reach an internal temperature of 145 °F.
- Turn off heat: Turn off the stove but keep the pan on the burner to retain warmth.
- Add cheese sauce: Add the prepared parmesan and lemon sauce to the pasta and shrimp. Stir well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, additional cracked black pepper, and shredded parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Add salt to taste if desired.
- Store leftovers: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use thick spaghetti for the best texture and sauce coating.
- Do not fully cook the pasta during boiling, as it finishes cooking in the pan with the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water to create a silky sauce that helps bind the ingredients together.
- Be very careful when adding hot pasta water to the pan to avoid burns from steam.
- Check shrimp doneness by its opaque color and an internal temperature of 145 °F for food safety.
- Adjust seasoning with salt at the end to avoid over-salting, especially because butter and parmesan are salted.
- Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
- Leftovers can be reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or butter to maintain creaminess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
