Shrimp Caprese Pasta

This delicate alfredo-style pasta will use some of that bumper crop of tomatoes from your garden! Add grilled shrimp and you get this wonderful Shrimp Caprese dinner! Just like Olive Garden!

Love Olive Garden?

This is one of my favorite summer dinners! It takes a minimum of prep and it’s very quick to make. Even though there are a couple of steps that have to be completed almost at the same time, I still call it an “easy dinner.”

I grow a HUGE herb garden in the summer so I’m always dying to use the nice fresh herbs I can go out and pick as I need them. Most folks grow tomatoes too–I didn’t this year–but even if you don’t, we all know someone who does and we usually end up with some. But you can use store bought here, but just make sure to use a very flavorful variety.

The original recipe calls for Roma (plum) tomatoes which taste pretty much OK store bought, but there are much better varieties! I used Campari in this, but another great choice would be the Kumatoes, which are bursting with flavor! Even grape or cherry will do you.

Use your garden’s bounty

Everything At Once

Even though it seems that you must cook the shrimp at the same time you’re cooking the sauce AND the pasta, it really doesn’t go that way! The sauce will take the longest to “cook” so I usually have my pot of water simmering for the pasta at the same time, so when I reduce the heat to simmer the sauce, in goes the pasta then I go out to grill the shrimp. It all seems to come together rather nicely as they’re all done at the same time! On a hot grill or broiler, the shrimp should only take about 5 minutes to cook. You can use pre-cooked, but I find they lack flavor that the grilling/broiling imparts.

Yes, this is rich!! No, don’t substitute milk…it won’t thicken. I wouldn’t suppose this would be a weekly thing anyway with the cost of shrimp, so just put this one down to a guilty pleasure you eat just a couple of times a year!

The Recipe

Shrimp Caprese Pasta

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

Author: Judith Hannemann

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

8 oz angel hair pasta (uncooked)
1 cup shredded or finely diced mozzarella
8 oz cooked shrimp*
Marinated Tomatoes:
3-4 campari or roma tomatoes
2-3 large fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped -OR- ½ tsp dehydrated
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped -OR- ¼ tsp dehydrated
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
Pasta Sauce:
1½ cups heavy cream
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 tbs butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup shredded asiago cheese
1 tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper (black will do in a pinch)

Instructions

*I grill my shrimp, but you may broil or boil. You can even use pre-cooked (I don't recommend it though. Grilling and broiling produce superior flavor. I used large (21-25 ct/lb) shrimp. I generally will grill them while the sauce is reducing and the pasta is cooking, but whatever method is best for you is the key.
For Marinated Tomatoes--remove pulp and seeds from tomatoes and roughly dice. Place in a small bowl and add the remaining ingredients; stir. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
For Sauce--Heat a large, deep skillet or saute pan over medium heat.
Melt butter and add the wine. Bring to a boil. Stir in cheeses, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is reduced to your desired consistency--mine was the consistence of a thin white sauce and I reduced for about 8 minutes. If you want it thicker, reduce for longer.
While sauce is reducing, cook pasta. The way I prepare very thin pasta such as angel hair is, I bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the angel hair, stir, cover and shut OFF the heat. It should take about 3-5 minutes to cook, depending on how al dente you want it. Drain very well.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat well.
Remove pasta to serving plate and top with marinated tomatoes, mozzarella and grilled shrimp.