Creamy shrimp & sun-dried tomatoes over pasta is an easy, quick, delicious meal.
Shrimp cooks in minutes, making them a great choice for easy, weeknight meals. I am a big fan of shrimp, they are high in protein and low in fat. I find them a great choice in a creamy, indulgent pasta dish.
Elements
Raw Shrimp: I use large, frozen shrimp for everything. If you prefer, you could use medium or jumbo-sized shrimp.
Italian Seasoning: Bottled Italian seasoning is used to season the shrimp.
Butter & Olive Oil: The combination of butter and olive oil is used to sauté the onions
Onion & Garlic: I feel like I chop onions and press garlic nearly every time I make dinner. For good reason, they add great flavor.
Flour: A bit of flour thickens the sauce.
Chicken Stock: I always use low-sodium chicken stock.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes are sold dry in a bag or packed in oil in a jar. I tend to like them in creamy pasta dishes. They are great with orzo.
Half & Half: Makes the sauce creamy and rich.
Salt & Pepper: Add to taste to enhance the flavor.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds wonderful flavor.
Baby Spinach: Spinach is delicious, nutritious, and adds color.
Pasta: For this recipe, farfalle, or as I call it, bow-tie pasta, works well. Penne would also work well. The pasta choice is yours, there are so many options.
Preparation
Start boiling the pasta water. This dinner comes together quickly, so you want to ensure your pasta has time to cook.
First, you will season the shrimp with the Italian seasoning. Dry the shrimp so the seasoning will stick to the shrimp. Add the shrimp to a skillet with the butter and olive oil. Sauté the shrimp until they turn white and curl, just a few minutes on each side. Place the cooked shrimp on a plate.
If you haven’t added your dry pasta to the boiling water, you should add it now.
Next, sauté the onion for a few minutes, then add the garlic. Sprinkle the skillet with flour and stir as the flour incorporates into the butter and oil.
Add the chicken stock and the sun-dried tomatoes, followed by the half & half, salt, pepper, and parmesan. Keep stirring as the sauce thickens. Fold in the shrimp and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.
Serve immediately over pasta and enjoy.
Creamy Shrimp & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 16 large raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ tsp dry Italian seasonings
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic- minced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- ⅔ cup half & half
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- 2 serving of pasta
Instructions
- Pat dry your shrimp with paper towels. Season with the Italian seasonings.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Once pan is hot, add in the seasoned shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- To the same pan, add in the onion and sauté on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. If you need some oil in the pan, add in a drizzle. Next stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to incorporate.
- Stir in the chicken stock and sun-dried tomatoes and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add in the half & half, salt, pepper, and parmesan and stir. Bring to a simmer and stir for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Add in the baby spinach and shrimp. Stir for a few minutes to heat the shrimp and wilt the spinach.
- Serve immediately over pasta.