Pâtes Aux Crevettes Recipe

Boil pasta

Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 12 oz penne and cook according to package instructions until al dente (typically 10–12 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Do not rinse.

Season shrimp

Pat 1 lb peeled and deveined Gulf shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until evenly coated.

Sauté shrimp

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter is foaming, add the shrimp in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear without moving for 1–1.5 minutes until the underside is pink and slightly golden, flip and cook another 30–60 seconds until opaque and just cooked through. In the last 20 seconds add 2 tsp minced garlic and toss to combine. Remove shrimp to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Sauté aromatics

In the same skillet used for the shrimp, reduce heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add 1 finely minced shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add 2 tsp minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze

Pour in 1 tablespoon dry white wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the liquid reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Make cream sauce

Pour in 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.

Add herbs and season

Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Finish sauce with pasta water

Add the reserved 1/2 cup pasta cooking water a little at a time to reach desired sauce consistency. Return the drained penne to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat the pasta in the herb cream sauce. If the sauce is too thin, simmer 1–2 minutes to thicken; if too thick, add up to another 1/4 cup reserved water.

Combine shrimp and pasta

Gently fold the sautéed shrimp into the sauced penne, reserving a few shrimp for garnish if desired. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and toss once to finish.

Plate and garnish

Divide the pasta among 4 plates (serves 4). Top with remaining shrimp. Sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan (about 2 tablespoons total), 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over. Serve immediately.