Marry Me, Shrimp Pasta

ByMaroof Mansoori
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⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
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You know those nights when you want something rich, comforting, and restaurant-level good—but you’re not in the mood to babysit a complicated sauce? This is that pasta. Creamy without being heavy, savory with a little tang from the sun-dried tomatoes, and loaded with shrimp that actually stay juicy instead of rubbery.

This isn’t a “delicate” pasta. It’s bold, forgiving, and built for weeknights when you want payoff fast, or weekends when you’re feeding people and don’t want to explain yourself.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced (reserve the oil)
  • 4 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil, divided
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed (dry them well)
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 16 oz rigatoni or penne (short pasta holds the sauce better)
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust if you like heat)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream (full-fat matters here)
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 (5-oz) package baby spinach
  • 1 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
  • Fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving

Method

Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp generously with salt and black pepper, then add them to the pan in a single layer. They should sizzle immediately—if they don’t, your pan isn’t hot enough. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just pink and opaque, about 3 minutes total. Pull them out as soon as they’re done and set aside. If you leave them longer “just to be safe,” they’ll turn rubbery. That’s on you.

Step 2
While the shrimp cook, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. You want bite here, not softness, because it’s finishing in the sauce later. Drain it, but don’t rinse—rinsing kills starch, and starch helps sauce cling.

Step 3
Drop the heat under the same skillet to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons tomato oil, garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for about a minute. The tomato paste should darken slightly and smell savory, not raw. If it starts sticking or browning too fast, your heat is too high—back off before it burns.

Step 4
Add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, and Italian seasoning. Bring it to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that’s flavor, not dirt. Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly. Toss in the spinach and stir until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. If the sauce looks thin now, relax—it tightens up later.

Step 5
Add the drained pasta, cooked shrimp, and grated Parmesan to the skillet. Stir until everything is coated and the sauce turns glossy. Season again with salt and pepper—this step matters more than people think. Take the skillet off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 2–3 minutes. This rest lets the pasta absorb the sauce instead of swimming in it. Stir once more before serving.

Step 6
Divide into bowls and finish with torn basil and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately while the sauce is at its best.

Before You Call It Done

  • If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of warm broth or pasta water—not cold milk.
  • If it tastes flat, it’s almost always a salt problem, not a cream problem.
  • Missing spinach? Use arugula or chopped kale, but expect a slightly firmer bite.

Nutritional Breakdown (Per Serving)

Total servings: 4

  • Calories: 580
  • Protein: 35 g
  • Carbohydrates: 63 g
  • Fats: 20 g
  • Fiber: 5 g

Recipe and Images credit by this source

Active Time

Total Time

Serving

25 Mins

35 Mins

4