Asparagus Shrimp Pasta is a top-notch recipe to make because of a bunch of reasons. It is a recipe ready in less than 30 minutes and is light yet satisfying. The asparagus shrimp pasta is packed with flavor and texture and is simply a beautiful light dish.
All the flavors in this recipe are inviting and the shrimp just tie it all together. Moreover, with the asparagus season in full, it is a shame to miss cooking asparagus as often as possible. There’s always something about crisp asparagus that makes me think of sunny spring days.
For that, here comes our collection of asparagus recipes:
- Lemon Garlic Asparagus Pasta
- Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
- Shrimp & Asparagus Skillet
- Healthy and Creamy Asparagus Soup
- Asparagus and Cheese Tart
- Fettucini with Oyster Mushrooms & Asparagus
- Asparagus & Mushrooms Frittata
- Asparagus Egg Toast
Let’s start with the first step of the cooking process and get going till you get what you’re here looking for – a delicious plate with shrimp, asparagus, and flavorful pasta.
How to clean shrimp?
Go for raw shrimp that are large 21-30 count that is sold with head and shell. Cleaning the shrimp is an essential step in the cooking process. Uncleaned shrimp or poorly cleaned shrimp will ruin the taste and the overall experience. Surely that’s not what we’re looking for when cooking the asparagus shrimp pasta. Therefore, arm yourself with patience and dedicate the needed time to prepare a praise-worthy dish! If you don’t want to go through this shrimp cleaning procedure, buy already cleaned ones and you’re set.
Bring the bowl of shrimp next to your sink and here’s what you need to do:
- Remove the shrimp head
- Remove the shell from the rest of the body to the end of the tail
- Use a sharp knife to make an incision on the back of the shrimp
- With the help of the knife blade, extract the intestinal filament. The intestine is located inside it and it is where the impurities are gathered
- Wash under running water.
The shrimp are now ready to be cooked for the asparagus shrimp pasta recipe.
How to saute shrimp in butter and garlic?
Shrimp is delicious seafood that has a neutral taste that can be easily enhanced with other ingredients. In my opinion, the basic enhancers for shrimp are butter (or olive oil) and garlic. The basic combination makes the shrimp a delightful treat. Therefore, peel some garlic cloves and slice them. Heat up a large skillet add some olive oil and butter and throw in garlic slices. In about one minute add the cleaned shrimp.
Be it for asparagus shrimp pasta or other recipes, it takes very little time for the shrimp to be ideally cooked. Sear them for about 2 minutes on each side. Don’t forget to season the seafood while cooking. Sprinkle it with salt, ground pepper, some garlic powder, sweet paprika, and chili flakes, if you’re into spicy food.
The shrimp meat is very fragile and it should be removed from the skillet once cooked to avoid them getting overcooked. You know the shrimp is overcooked when the meat is too dry and tough. The meat should stay tender and juicy. Thus, remove the shrimp one by one from the skillet and set them aside. It’s time to cook the asparagus for the delicious asparagus shrimp pasta recipe.
How to prepare asparagus?
Before cooking the asparagus for the asparagus shrimp pasta, it must be quickly cleaned under a stream of cold water. Afterward, break the stems because the thick end has a woody consistency and cannot be easily consumed, nor it is tasty.
To remove the woody part of the asparagus, just bend each stem slightly, and it will break exactly where needed. Discard the woody parts and prepare the remaining stems.
The remaining stems can be cooked either whole or cut into sections about 1 inch long for today’s asparagus shrimp pasta recipe.
How to cook asparagus for asparagus shrimp pasta?
After you have prepared and cut the asparagus, it is time to cook it. Put it in the pan you have previously cooked the shrimp. Use the same oil and butter that was left in the skillet as it is already flavored and will enhance the taste of the asparagus while on the stove. Cook the asparagus for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat. The veggie should still be slightly crunchy. Too soft asparagus loses its beneficial properties as well as its specific charm. When done, add in the shrimp and mix. The asparagus shrimp pasta is soon ready.
How to cook asparagus shrimp pasta?
When the shrimp and the asparagus are ready in the skillet, it is time to add the cooked pasta and mix. Choose whatever pasta shape you like most. It can vary from penne to spaghetti. The shape of the pasta will not make a big difference in this asparagus pasta recipe. Just make sure to pick quality pasta and overall fresh and quality ingredients. Cook pasta according to the package instructions and use kitchen tongs to transfer it directly from the boiling water to the skillet. Add about 1 cup of pasta cooking water and mix all the ingredients in the skillet. It is how you avoid the pasta getting too dry, thus, you get perfectly cooked asparagus shrimp pasta.
By the way, you may change things up and use gluten-free pasta or even zoodles, use whatever ingredients fit your needs best.
How to serve the asparagus shrimp pasta?
Serve the pasta on a large plate and sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan on top and some ground black pepper. Accompany the delicious and healthy dish with a glass of chilled white wine.
Asparagus Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lbs raw shrimps deveined and cleaned
- 1 lbs asparagus
- 14 oz pasta
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 cup parmesan shredded
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Use a large pot to bring water to a boil and salt it to taste
- Boil pasta according to package instructions, in the meantime...
- Clean the shrimp and the asparagus, trim the ends
- Peel and slice the garlic
- Heat up a skillet and melt the butter and add the olive oil
- Saute the garlic for a couple of minutes
- Add the shrimps and season with spices
- Cook for 2 minutes on each side then set aside on a plate
- Cut the asparagus into about 1-inch pieces
- Add the asparagus to the same skillet with oil and butter and cook for about 5 minutes
- Put back the shrimp into the skillet with asparagus and add the cooked pasta
- Add 1 cup of the pasta water and mix
- Serve with sprinkled parmesan and ground pepper
