Simple Sophistication
I’m so excited to share my shrimp with bow tie pasta recipe with you! I love the vibrant flavors, the citrus, the sweet tomatoes, tender shrimp. The length of the ingredients and number of steps is a misnomer, this one is pretty simple. I hope you enjoy making this delicious parmesan shrimp pasta dish.
The key, and this probably goes for all cooking, is to start with mise en place, a French term meaning to have everything in place before you begin cooking. Having everything ready is particularly important because the shrimp, the veggies and garlic can take a turn for the worst if you get sidetracked.
If shrimp in shells isn’t your thing, no worries! You can easily go for already peeled or even pre-cooked. If you take all the shrimp prep out with pre-cooked just be sure to follow the instructions on the shrimp bag for heating, rather than my steps below to avoid chewy seafood.
What You Need to Make Shrimp with Bow Tie Pasta
Some dishes are a little less dramatic… they cover some of the flavor profiles, salty, spicy, etc. I feel shrimp with bow tie pasta covers all of flavors.
- Shrimp – Large is the way to go… shrimp will shrink when they cook. I prefer to cook with large shrimp always for two reasons. First, shrimp will reduce in size as they cook, and I want substantial, meaty pieces. Second, shrimp are just easier to cook with they are larger. It’s easier to control how quickly they cook.
- Lemons – I love lemons. I almost named my blog Avocado & Lemons. Shrimp with Bow Tie Pasta is lively with fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest.
- Sweet Cherry Tomatoes and Orange Peppers – Bring on the color and the sweetness with red, sweet cherry tomatoes and vibrant orange peppers.
- Parmesan – First, cheese. Say no more. Freshly grated parmesan brings a little umami. I love cheese, so bring it on!
- Garlic – Add a little bit of bite from our friend garlic (yes, garlic can be an ally).
How To Make Shrimp with Bow Tie Pasta
It’s a little more work to prep raw shrimp, but the flavor is well worth the effort. Likewise, spending the extra time to soak the shrimp in a salty bath before cooking makes a huge difference. Use extra large shrimp because they will shrink a bit in the cooking process. Look for the larger size shrimp to provide a generous portion of protein in each serving. These are just beautiful!
Bring water to a boil for the pasta. Generously salt the water. You want the water to taste like the sea as they say… what does that mean? I think it means about 1 teaspoon of salt for every three cups of water. Salty water will make the past so good, you’ll want to eat it all by itself! Cook the pasta according to the box, drain (reserve liquid) and set aside.
Shrimp with bow tie pasta is so great because the cover tells you exactly what’s in the book – the beautiful bright colors echo its zippy flavor. Cook the peppers and tomatoes in olive oil until they are softened and have a beautiful char. Then, add the shrimp. Cooking on each side for 1-2 minutes. Finally, add the garlic and cook for just a few until it’s aromatic.
Lastly, combine the sauce, shrimp, veggies, and well drained pasta. Mix well!
Bringing The Shrimp and Bow Tie Pasta Dish Together
The finished shrimp pasta dish! A little char on the peppers, saucy goodness on everything and a perfect balance of pasta to shrimp.
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- How to Store Leftovers.So, you made a great dish and have some leftovers (though I don’t know how!). I think pasta only gets better the next day when everything gets to marinade together, and shrimp pasta is no different.
- Next Day Shrimp?My personal rule is enjoy your seafood the day of… don’t save it as a leftover. However, because the shrimp are so tender to begin with, it is possible to enjoy them a second day. But one day is where I draw the line. It’s a personal preference. Pasta will do very well the next day; you decide on the shrimpies.
- Make It Your Own. Make shrimp pasta your own, it’s pretty forgiving. Change the amounts of spices to enhance those you really enjoy and subdue those you enjoy less.
- Variations. Try other veggies like asparagus, sweet peas or snow peas, or sliced shallots.
- Want dairy free shrimp pasta? Leaving out the parmesan and substitute butter with a vegetable oil-based margarine or just olive oil.
Shrimp with Bow Tie Pasta
Equipment
- cheese grater
- chef's knife
- Colander
- cutting board
- garlic press
- large pan
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- medium pot
- Mixing bowls
- paring knife
- whisk
- tongs
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 16 oz thawed, extra large raw shrimp, with or without shells (about 30 shrimp)
- 2 cups warm water
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Accessories
- 4 cups dry bow tie pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup orange peppers
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh pressed garlic
Sauce
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon citrus salt (or sea salt) Badia is the brand in my stores
- 1 tablespoon zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Tajin Classico Seasoning Completely optional, but it does add a jolt of brightness
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
Shrimp
- Shrimp. The shrimp prep includes removing the shells and mud vein.16 oz thawed, extra large raw shrimp, with or without shells (about 30 shrimp)
- Pinch. To remove the shells, pinch the tail shell (top to bottom), between your index finger and thumb and gently squeeze the tail to crack the shell.
- Pull. Holding on to the tail shell, with your other hand, gently pull the body of the shrimp away. You should be able to pull the shrimp tail meat out of the shell.
- Peel. Then, pull the rest of the shell off by peeling from the legs and unwrapping the body. This might take a little practice, and the goal is just to make sure you remove all the hard shell pieces. 10 minutes to peel 30 shrimp.
- Mud Vein. To remove the mud vein, score the back of the shrimp the from head to tail to split open the meat. You should see a dark vein, remove with fingers or rinse out with water. I think it's faster to score all and then go back and rinse all in a bowl of cold water. 7-8 minutes to score and wash 30 shrimp.
- Soak. Once the shrimp are clean, place them in a bowl with 2 cups of warm water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes.2 cups warm water, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Drain. Drain your salty soaked shrimp and pat dry.
While the shrimp are soaking…
- Pasta. Cook the pasta per the instructions on the box. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining. You can continue to the next steps while you wait for the water to boil and the pasta to cook. I recommend 1 teaspoon of sea salt per 3 cups of water.4 cups dry bow tie pasta
- Tomatoes. Wash the cherry tomatoes and set aside.1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Peppers. Dice the peppers and set aside.1/2 cup orange peppers
Sauce
- Whisk. Prepare the sauce by placing all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until completely incorporated, set aside.1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon citrus salt (or sea salt), 1 tablespoon zest of 1 large lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Tajin Classico Seasoning
- Pasta Water. The sauce will be thick. If you want it a little more loose, add pasta water 1-2 tablespoons at a time to get your desired consistency.1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Veggies
- Oil and Butter. Add oil and butter to the pan, heating over medium low heat until the butter is melted.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter
- Saute. Sauté the peppers and tomatoes for 3-4 minutes. Stirring occasionally. They should begin to get a nice char and the tomatoes will split. Keep going, you're doing great!
Time For The Shrimp!
- Shrimp. Add the shrimp to the veggies. Let the shrimp cook on one side 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. you want them to become opaque and stay tender.
- Garlic. Add garlic in the last 30 seconds and cook until fragrant. DO NOT let the garlic burn or turn brown.1/2 teaspoon fresh pressed garlic
- Combine. Mix the drained pasta, sauce, cooked shrimp and veggies.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately.
