Seafood Penne Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring 4 cups of water and 1 tbsp kosher salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 12 oz gluten-free penne and cook until just al dente according to package instructions (typically 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Prep shrimp and vegetables

Pat 1 lb shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Trim the ends of 1 medium zucchini and cut into half-moons about 1/4-inch thick. Finely mince 1 small shallot and mince 4 garlic cloves.

Sauté zucchini

Heat 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced zucchini and a pinch of salt; sauté, stirring occasionally, until edges are golden and zucchini is just tender, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer zucchini to a plate and set aside.

Cook shrimp

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. When butter foams, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook without moving for 1–2 minutes until the underside is pink and seared. Flip shrimp and cook another 1–2 minutes until opaque and just cooked through. Remove shrimp to the plate with zucchini.

Build sauce

Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced shallot to the skillet and sauté 1–2 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and 1 tsp red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 1 cup dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Finish sauce

Stir in 2 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest. Return the zucchini and shrimp to the skillet. Add up to 1 cup reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce as needed (start with 1/2 cup). Toss in the drained penne, gently combining everything so the sauce coats the pasta. If sauce seems thin, simmer another 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly; if too thick, add more reserved pasta water.

Season and garnish

Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper, and adjust salt to taste (use the 3 pinches of salt as a guide). If desired, stir in the optional 1 oz grated Parmesan for a slightly creamier finish. Remove from heat.

Divide the Seafood Penne among 4 warmed bowls (servings). Drizzle with a small extra drizzle of olive oil if desired and sprinkle additional parsley or red pepper flakes to taste. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.