(Recipe can be found on the site Kath Eats here.)
Step by Step Instructions:
This perfect for weeknight Shrimp, Zucchini and Pesto Angel Hair Pasta dish requires the folliwng: Salt & Pepper, Pesto (you can use jarred pesto or make your own), 1 Zucchini chopped, 1 Red Bell Pepper chopped, Angel Hair Pasta, 1/2 pound of raw, peeled & de-veined shrimp, Red Pepper Flakes (optional for an extra kick), & Olive Oil.
Begin by boiling a pot of water for the pasta, then in a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
While the oil heats I salted and peppered 1 side of the shrimp. The original recipe didn’t call for this, but I’m all about layering your flavors and making sure the dish is seasoned as you make it.
Place the shrimp in the pan and season the other side. Leave them sitting in the pan so that each side gets browned as it cooks.
Once one side is brown flip and cook the other side. I wanted to be careful not to overcook the shrimp to make it tough, so I didn’t let it brown too much.
Cook the angel hair according to the package’s directions. I wanted to stretch the dish a bit so that I’d have more leftovers so I used about 7-8 ounces of pasta rather than just 4 ounces…so choose your own adventure!
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. In an effort to add a bit more flavor, I sprinkled in some red pepper flakes and cooked them in the oil for 20-30 seconds to release some of that heat.
Then the zucchini and bell pepper were added to the pan and cooked until tender. I cooked them over medium-high heat stirring occasionally to get them a bit browned. Then I covered the pan and let them steam a bit for a minute or 2 and they were perfectly tender but not mushy.
Here they are fully cooked. I used a sharp knife to check the level of doneness.
I combined the pasta, veggies, shrimp, and 1/3 cup of pesto together. I made the executive decision to come all of the ingredients with the pasta, so that the pasta didn’t dry out or get clumpy. I think this was the right choice.
Toss everything together and server in bowls. This was delicious, fast, and had great flavor! Perfect for a week night meal and if you end up with leftovers, they reheat like a dream! Happy cooking my friends!
Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients:
1/2 lb Shrimp, raw, peeled & de-veined
4 ounces Angel Hair Pasta, cooking according to package
1 Zucchini, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1/3 cup prepared or homemade Pesto Sauce
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper for Seasoning
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Preparation Instructions:
1. Prepare pasta according to package.
2. Season shrimp with salt & pepper. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to medium high skillet and cook shrimp until brown. Don’t stir too much or you won’t get a crust! Remove from pan.
3. Cook pepper and zucchini in remaining olive oil until tender. Add some crushed red pepper flakes to the oil and cook for 20 or 30 seconds for some extra spice to the dish.
4. Toss all together in a bowl with pesto and pasta.
5. Serve in bowls!
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