This fabulous fresh version of shrimp scampi pasta is fancy enough to impress your guests and simple enough to serve on a hectic weeknight.
Why Try? Many shrimp scampi recipes are overloaded with butter; this recipe is balanced with a blend of butter and monounsaturated olive oil and tossed with fresh baby spinach. It’s rich in B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, calcium and important phytochemicals. Long story short, it’s better for you than most scampi recipes.
Be sure to have your ingredients measured and prepared prior to beginning the sauté procedure in this recipe; everything cooks very quickly!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccini pasta
- 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp (20 to 25 shrimp per pound)
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 cup butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup fine diced shallot
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic (5 cloves)
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- 1 Add pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook 6 to 7 minutes or until cooked al dente; stirring to ensure pasta separates. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
- 2 In large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes; sauté 3 minutes.
- 3 Season shrimp with salt and pepper; add to skillet and cook 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Remove shrimp from skillet; keep warm.
- 4 Add lemon juice and wine; as mixture comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted.
- 5 Return shrimp to skillet along with spinach, cooked fettuccini, and reserved cooking liquid as needed to keep pasta moist. Stir well and season with salt and pepper as needed.
