Marry Me Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Marry me chicken may have been the saucy, creamy dish that started it all, but you certainly aren't limited to chicken when it comes to crafting a marry me-inspired recipe. Various other types of meat, seafood, or vegetarian versions are all fair game, and you can easily transform that creamy, sun-dried tomato-infused sauce into one well-suited for pasta. This marry me shrimp pasta recipe does just that, featuring pan-fried shrimp combined with a luxurious sauce made from seafood broth, cream, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and spices. While the sauce and the shrimp would be tasty enough all on their own, we've also added penne pasta to the mix to found out the dish and make it a full, satisfying meal.

This marry me shrimp pasta recipe looks impressive (and tastes even better), so it can be your little secret that it's not all that difficult to make. You can whip it up on a weeknight for a restaurant-quality experience at home, or save it for those more special occasions like dinner parties or date nights. A proposal may or may not follow, but diners are unlikely to forget this delicious meal.

For this recipe, you will first need peeled and deveined medium shrimp. If you have frozen shrimp, make sure to fully defrost them before proceeding with the recipe (if you have the time, one of the absolute best ways to thaw frozen shrimp is to simply let them sit in the fridge overnight). You'll also need salt and pepper to season the shrimp along with olive oil for sauteing. 

For the sauce, you will need garlic, red pepper flakes, seafood broth, heavy cream, grated parmesan, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, fresh thyme and basil, and a little more salt and pepper. Finally, you'll need penne pasta to complete the dish.

Sprinkle both sides of the shrimp with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet on medium-high.

When the oil is hot, place the shrimp in a single layer in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.

Flip the shrimp and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a dish and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the penne pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions.

While the water is heating and the pasta is cooking, make the sauce so the pasta and sauce will finish at roughly the same time. Start the sauce by heating the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil in the empty skillet on medium (clean the pan clean first if needed).

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes.

Pour in the broth and bring the liquid to a simmer.

Add the cream, grated parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and stir until the cheese is melted. Simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper if desired.

Add the shrimp, drained pasta, and thyme to the skillet. Tear the basil leaves and add them. Toss to coat the pasta and shrimp evenly in the sauce.

Serve immediately garnished with basil leaves. Sprinkle with more grated Parmesan if desired.

• Marinated Tomato Salad With Arugula And Parmesan Recipe
• 3-Ingredient Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe
• Cheesy Garlic Dinner Rolls Recipe
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus With Parmesan Recipe

Since this recipe calls for shrimp, the easiest way to make a seafood broth for this dish is to simmer the shrimp shells in water. Add the raw shells from the ½ pound of shrimp to 1 cup of water, bring it to a simmer, and let it cook for 5-7 minutes before straining the shells out. Consider this trick to add more flavor to shrimp broth: Drizzle the shells with olive oil and roast them in the oven at 400 F for about 10 minutes before adding them to the water.

Otherwise, you can make seafood broth much like other kinds of broth. Start by adding aromatics (like garlic, onion, or leeks) along with vegetables (like celery, carrot, fennel, or mushrooms), fresh herbs (like parsley and thyme), and spices (like salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes) to a pot of water. Bring the liquid to a simmer, add your seafood of choice, and let simmer for up to an hour. Viable seafood options include crabs, mussels, shrimp, lobster, crawfish, clams, mussels, and different kinds of fish.

Even if dairy is no longer a part of your diet, you don't need to denounce creamy pasta dishes like this marry me shrimp one. Coconut cream makes for a great dairy-free swap, but note that coconut cream is not the same as coconut milk. The cream is the thickest part, so look for a can of just the cream. Or, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight, open the can carefully, and spoon off the cream that will have risen to the top. You can then use the coconut cream in place of the heavy cream in this recipe. There will be a subtle coconut flavor, but it works well with the flavors of this dish. Another option is to add nutritional yeast to the sauce for a nutty, savory flavor without  the need for parmesan. You could also opt for dairy-free grated parmesan, although it may give the sauce a crumbly texture instead of melting.

Some people prefer to avoid cheese alternatives. In this case, cashews are a great whole-food ingredient for a creamy sauce. Cashew cream adds a thick, creamy texture to recipes like vegan dips and cheese sauces. To make it, soak cashews in water overnight (or boil for 10 minutes for a faster version), and then blend with an equal amount of water (measured in cups) until thick, smooth, and creamy.

• Baconified Marry-Me Chicken Recipe
• Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe
• Marry Me Italian Sausage And Orzo Soup Recipe
• Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe
• Quick And Easy Brown Butter Shrimp Pasta Recipe