Quick Tomato Shrimp Pasta

This Tomato Shrimp Pasta is a good one to keep around for busy nights. It takes about 15 minutes, the sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, and the shrimp gives you some protein without adding much extra prep.

It’s not the lightest pasta because there’s butter, cream and Parmesan in the sauce, but you can use milk or half and half if you want to cut it back a little. Even my super picky 7 year old liked this one, so it became an easy dinner to come back to.

Passata Or Marinara?

Shrimp and tomato sauce work really well together because the tomato keeps the butter and cream from feeling too heavy. For this recipe, I use either passata or marinara depending on what I have.

Passata is plain strained tomato, so you get more control over the seasoning. Marinara already has herbs, salt and sometimes sugar added, which makes things a little easier.

If you’re using marinara, taste it before adding extra sugar or a teaspoon salt. Some jars already have plenty of both. With passata, you’ll usually need the bouillon and seasonings in the recipe to round everything out.

For shrimp pasta in general, I like sauces that aren’t too heavy. Tomato cream sauce works here, but garlic butter, lemon cream and simple marinara are all good options too.

Ingredients

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• Shrimp: I use raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined. Medium shrimp work too, but they cook faster.
• Marinara sauce: For that tangy, tomato flavor. You can also use passata if that’s what you have at hand. 
• Cream or Half and Half: Heavy cream gives you a thicker sauce, while half and half or milk make it lighter.
• Parmesan: Freshly grated is best because it melts into the sauce much more easily than the pre-grated kind.
• Linguini: I use linguini here, but any long noodle like spaghetti, fettuccine or bucatini works. Long pastas are a good fit because they toss easily through the sauce and help you get a bit of shrimp and sauce in each forkful.

I also use garlic, onion, basil and butter in the sauce. If you already have some of my Garlic Butter made, you can use that instead of regular butter.

Note: please see recipe card at the bottom for list of full ingredients and measurements

Working With Shrimp

Shrimp cooks really quickly, so most of the work is just making sure you don’t leave it in the pan too long.

If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw it completely first. I usually thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, but you can also place it in a sealed bag under cold running water if you need it sooner. Avoid leaving shrimp out on the counter to thaw so you don’t risk spoilage.

Once thawed, pat the shrimp dry with paper towel. This helps it cook properly instead of releasing a lot of extra water into the pan.

If you’re not working with deveined shrimp still has the shell or vein, peel and devein it before you start cooking. I also like removing the tails for pasta because it makes the finished dish much easier to eat.

And keep an eye on the cooking time. Shrimp is done once it turns opaque and curls into a loose C shape. If it curls tightly into itself and feels firm, it has probably gone a little too far.

Before You Start

This recipe moves quickly once the shrimp hits the pan, so I like having the tomato sauce, cream and seasonings measured out before I start.

I also boil the pasta at the same time as the sauce. That’s how you keep the whole thing around the 15-minute mark instead of finishing one part before starting the next.

And don’t forget to save some pasta water before draining. You may not need it, but it’s handy if the sauce gets too thick once the linguine goes in.

How To Make Shrimp Tomato Pasta

Once the pasta is on, the rest comes together pretty quickly in the skillet.

• Cook the linguine in a large pot of salted water over medium heat until al dente, then save about a cup of the cooking water before draining.
• Melt the butter and cook the onion until softened. Add the cloves of garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Add the shrimp, fresh basil and half of the salt. Cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another minute.
• Pour in the passata or marinara, then add the bouillon, parsley, pepper, sugar and remaining salt. Let it cook for about a minute.
• Lower the heat and stir in the cream, half and half or milk. Cook until the shrimp are just cooked through.
• Add the linguine and toss everything together. Add a little pasta water if needed, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to finish and fresh parsley to garnish.

If you want to change it up a little, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for some heat, or stir in about a tablespoon lemon juice at the end for a little extra freshness. You can also top it up with some lemon zest for that additional zing.

Pair the creamy tomato garlic butter shrimp with a veggie side. I love teaming it up with my Corn on the Cob with Garlic Butter and my Sugar Snap Peas. Sometimes, I also make Balsamic Soy Roasted Mushrooms to pair with it.  

If you can’t resist a side of bread with your pasta, try my Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread recipe.

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