If you’re like me, at the end of the day all you want to do is get your family fed and be done. But then the guilt sneaks in and you remember that you really NEED to give them a well balanced meal - something that is yummy but healthy at the same time. Well, here’s a great option to fill their bellies and have them begging for more!
What you Will Need:
2 Pounds frozen or fresh shrimp
Garlic
Butter
1 and a half lemons
Pasta
Shredded Cheese
How to Make It:
- First thaw your shrimp if they are frozen. You will need to either purchase pre-peeled shrimp or peel and devein them yourself. I buy the frozen bags from Harris Teeter and then thaw then under luke warm water prior to peeling them.
- Next go ahead and peel and devein them and set them aside. If you can purchase pre-peeled shrimp, it will really save you time. Always smell your shrimp though to make sure that they do not have too strong of a fishy smell - this indicates that they are old.
- Go ahead and start boiling your water for pasta while you are preparing to cook your shrimp. Shrimp do not take a long time to cook. In most cases, you will want to put in your pasta around the same time that you begin to cook your shrimp. Now, using a large skillet, set your temperature to medium-high and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Let it warm slightly and then add your shrimp.
- Cook with a top on for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Every stove is going to cook differently so be sure to keep an eye on them. You DO NOT want overcooked, chewy shrimp. You just want to cook them until they turn bright pink. And keep in mind that your shrimp will continue to cook as you make the sauce.
- Once your shrimp are cooked, you want to go ahead and make the sauce. This is so easy! First, drain the excess liquid off your shrimp. Now, put the shrimp back on the burner with the heat turned to low and add 2 tablespoons of butter (we use light butter to help with the calories) - you can add more or less depending on how much sauce you want. As the butter melts add in garlic to taste. We love garlic around here so I always add lots. Your butter and garlic will start to create a creamy sauce.
- Once you have the butter and garlic stirred in well, you are ready to add your lemon. If your lemon is hard, try putting it in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften it up. Then cut it in half and squeeze one and a half lemons into the mixture. Make sure to strain the lemon juice so that nobody ends up getting a surprise seed!
- Stir well and recover your mixture so that it can sit while you are getting the pasta ready. This will allow time for the flavors to heighten, leaving you with a wonderful taste. Now, drain and rinse your pasta. I personally like linguine best for this dish because of appearance but if you have kids (like I do) it is better to go with rotini to make it easier to pick up.
- You are now ready to assemble your meal. Add pasta to a plate and top with your shrimp. Make sure to use a ladle to get plenty of sauce on each plate. Then garnish with cheese. Your final product will look something like this.
- Add a side salad with a light vinaigrette and you have your full meal ready to go!
Bon Appetite!
Looks so good. We've got shrimp in the freezer and I might have to use it to make this later this week.
I just bought shrimp at het grocery store so this might be on the menu this week…Thanks
Perfect timing! I was just looking at a container of shrimp in my fridge wondering what to do with it. This looks so easy.
Yummy
Looks yummy
oh wow, this looks delish and simple. i bookmarked it . Hopefully we can do it on Sat
Angela Michels says
This looks like something you would find at Red Lobster! I love shrimp and can’t wait to try this recipe out. Thanks for sharing this!
Angela Michels
Looking good, I sort of make something similiar but call it scampi and add lots of fresh garlic.
this looks so good, thanks for the recipe
This sounds really good and I love shrimp.
I love shrimp! This looks great! Im gonna have to try it out soon!
I also left my comment via this topic: Quick and Easy Dinner: Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce (Aww! Yummy) 🙂
Thank You So Much!!!
Amanda Green says
I’m not very familiar with shrimp so I usually end up over or under cooking it but with this recipe I think I’ll be ok! Thanks! I’m adding this to my meal plan for next week! THANK YOU!
this looks delicious
Oh man, this looks delicious! I will have to try it.
Looks easy enough that I should be able to make this// I know my family will love it
Angela Michels says
This looks really good! I am going to share it on Pinterest. My hubby loves shrimp but I am not real big on it. I might try the sauce on some chicken though. I bet that would be amazing too! 🙂
Sounds great! We love Shrimp so I will have to try this, this summer. Thanks for sharing!