It’s time for a pasta party!
Searching for perfection on a plate? You can stop scrolling because lifestyle expert and DIY-master Maria Provenzano’s delicious lemony shrimp bucatini recipe is here to save the day!
Provenzano, the author of Everyday Celebration from Scratch, has mastered the art of cooking simple, homemade recipes. And her citrus-infused shrimp and pasta dish is no exception. “Even though this dish sounds fancy, it’s super easy,” Provenzano writes in her book. Filled with only 11 ingredients (like freshly squeezed lemon juice, parsley, and parmesan), a serving (or two) will leave all the taste buds at the table jumping for more.
“The key is to let the pasta cook in the sauce for a bit,” she shares. “The lemon infuses into the pasta, and the flavors marry perfectly. I can’t get enough of the lemon flavor, so I like to finish off the dish with freshly squeezed lemon juice.”
This restaurant-caliber entrée will satisfy your next dinner party needs, but since you probably already have most of the ingredients stocked, it’s also easy enough to whip up for a last-minute weeknight meal. You simply can’t go wrong with a citrus-infused shrimp and pasta combo.
Maria Provenzano’s Lemony Shrimp with Bucatini
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 pound medium-size shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 pound bucatini pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (about the zest of one lemon)
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
½ cup fresh parsley
Instructions:
While you prep the shrimp, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (that is, not overcooked).
Rinse and dry the shrimp, then lightly sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook on one side for a couple of minutes. Flip the shrimp to cook the other side.
Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for about 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic brown or it will taste bitter. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir.
Use tongs to grab the bucatini out of the pot and place it directly into the pan with the shrimp. Before stirring, pour 1 /4 cup of the Parmesan cheese over the pasta. Toss everything well and allow the pasta to cook in the sauce for a few minutes.
Add the fresh parsley and toss to combine. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice, and the remaining Parmesan cheese to taste. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water while stirring everything together.
Maria’s Tips:
Buy high-quality shrimp and ask for it to be peeled and deveined so you don’t have to do that yourself.
If you don’t have bucatini, classic spaghetti is a perfect alternative.
Adding the Parmesan cheese to the pasta before tossing it with the sauce helps the pasta hold on to the sauce better.
I like to add veggies, such as green beans, asparagus, or zucchini. Sauté them in a separate skillet until al dente (that is, not overcooked), then cook them with the pasta in the sauce so the veggies soak up that glorious lemon and garlic flavor.
