We are a seafood family. We love it. We can’t turn down a delicious fish, crab or shellfish dish, but our absolute favorite is shrimp. We are a family of meat eaters and I really love that I can vary our diets – and our menu – with seafood. This Shrimp Scampi and Asparagus Parmesan Pasta dish was quickly devoured by my whole family. And, the best part, it was on the table in under an hour!
There are lots of ways to incorporate seafood and it doesn’t have to break the bank. While fresh seafood is always my preferred kind, we use frozen shrimp and fish filets often and it’s still delectable.
This was so simple to make, which fit into our busy weeknight schedule nicely. We cooked it together, ate together and it was pretty quick, not to mention delicious and flavorful! What more can a busy mom ask for?!
SHRIMP SCAMPI AND ASPARAGUS PARMESAN PASTA
COOKING WITH SHRIMP: FROZEN VS FRESH
My favorite frozen shrimp to use are raw, no tail and de-veined. They are super easy to thaw with warm water, you don’t have to stand at the sink yanking off tails that will smell awful in the trash later that night, and there is a little more leeway with cooking them before they turn rubbery.
The wiggle room while cooking is especially nice with kids running around while I’m making dinner. And the shrimp do still cook pretty quickly – they are fully cooked in about 5-7 mins. Afternoons and evenings are busy for us – and many of you – so getting dinner to the table faster is always good thing.
SHRIMP AS A HEALTHIER AND LEANER PROTEIN SOURCE
Shrimp is America’s #1 seafood and, when compared to other sources of protein – such as chicken, it offers a healthier and leaner alternative. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends people eat at least two servings of seafood each week.
The average American consumes less than one serving a week (that would be us, for the most part). We like seafood, but once a week is on the high end of consumption for us.
Eating seafood twice a week sounds expensive to me… but, we’ve found that frozen seafood is the best (or at least better) of both worlds. It’s more affordable than fresh seafood and offers the flexibility to add it to our week night dinners without having to stop at the store as apart of dinner preparations.
Shrimp Scampi and Asparagus Parmesan Pasta
Delicious shrimp in a buttery sauce served with noodles and a creamy alfredo make this a hearty, rich dish perfect for dinner any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 12 oz raw, thawed shrimp (no tails and de-veined)
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- garlic, salt and lemon pepper to taste
- 12 oz tricolor rotini pasta
- 12-15 asparagus stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 mushrooms, sliced
- 12 oz jar alfredo sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3 stalks green onions, sliced for garnish
Instructions
1.In a pot, boil water for the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente, approximately 8 minutes.
2.Melt the butter in a large saucepan on the stove. Add shrimp, asparagus and mushrooms to the melted butter sauce.
3.Saute the shrimp, asparagus and mushrooms in 4 tbsp butter until they are tender. Season with garlic, lemon juice and lemon pepper if desired. This only takes about 8 mins or so.
If you prefer your asparagus more tender, saute them first and add the shrimp and mushrooms when the asparagus is nearly done.
4.Strain your pasta and return to the pot to keep warm.
5.Add the alfredo sauce and parmesan cheese and let the sauce simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
6.You can add the pasta to the sauce and mix until the sauce evenly coats the pasta or serve the sauce over the pasta.
7.Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 535Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 219mgSodium: 1426mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 27g
