Description
A rich and flavorful Creamy Mozzarella Shrimp Pasta that combines tender shrimp with a luscious sun-dried tomato and garlic-infused creamy sauce, perfectly coating al dente penne pasta for a satisfying and elegant meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz penne pasta (or gluten free brown rice pasta for gluten free version)
Shrimp & Oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (drained from sun-dried tomatoes jar or regular olive oil)
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined, shells removed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for shrimp)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
Sauce
- 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes (without oil)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, pre-shredded, not fresh mozzarella)
- 1 tablespoon dried basil (or fresh basil, adjust quantity)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed, adjust to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water (or more as needed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set both pasta and reserved water aside.
- Prepare Shrimp: If using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drain the tomatoes and reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil for cooking. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peeled, deveined shrimp along with 3 minced garlic cloves to the skillet.
- Sauté Shrimp: Season the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook the shrimp undisturbed on one side for about 1 minute until they turn pink and slightly golden. Flip the shrimp and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Make sure not to overcrowd the skillet to get proper searing. Remove cooked shrimp from the skillet and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan.
- Make Sauce: To the same skillet with remaining oil, add the sun-dried tomatoes and 4 minced garlic cloves. Sauté while stirring for about 1 minute over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in 1 cup of half and half and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add Cheese: Quickly stir in the shredded mozzarella cheese while the sauce is boiling. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until the cheese melts fully and the sauce becomes creamy. If the sauce is too thick, thin it by adding a little more half and half or some of the reserved pasta water.
- Season Sauce: Stir in dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika. Gradually add 1/4 teaspoon salt, adjusting to taste to achieve a balanced flavor.
- Combine Pasta and Shrimp: Add the cooked pasta directly into the creamy sauce and gently reheat over medium heat. Add the cooked shrimp back to the skillet and stir gently to combine everything evenly.
- Final Simmer: Taste the dish and adjust salt if needed. If the sauce is still too thick, add reserved pasta water or half and half to loosen it. Let the dish simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes so the flavors meld perfectly before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free brown rice pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
- If using fresh basil, adjust the amount to taste as it is stronger than dried basil.
- Reserve pasta water is key for adjusting sauce consistency while maintaining flavor.
- Avoid overcrowding the skillet when cooking shrimp to ensure proper searing.
- Use pre-shredded mozzarella to ensure it melts smoothly without clumping.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the spice level as desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: creamy shrimp pasta, mozzarella shrimp pasta, sun-dried tomato pasta, easy shrimp recipe, penne pasta recipe
