Shrimp and penne pasta with tomatoes, scallions and arugula is an easy, flavorful dish that’s topped with feta cheese. Great for a seafood dinner!
Are you all having a wonderful start to summer?!
We've had some great weather here in N.C. - warm and sunny but not too crazy hot. And it's been lovely having the kids home but having a nanny help in the mornings and camps here and there to keep them happy and busy.
(And to keep mama sane and able to get work done. )
We've got a pretty low-key weekend coming up and I'm honestly so thankful. I'm trying hard to find the time and space to let myself slow down a little this summer. (I'm not so good at that.) So having wide open days helps inspire me to relax and just do fun things with the family.
(If you're like me, I'd love to hear your tips to slow down, put the work away, and be present with your family. Leave me a comment below!)
But let's move on to some yummy food!
Shrimp is one of my daughter’s favorite things so I’m always trying new recipes for her.
Here’s a few of our favorite shrimp recipes:
Quick and easy Mexican shrimp skillet - ready in 20 minutes!
Shrimp tacos with lime cabbage slaw and spicy yogurt sauce
Shrimp martini appetizer - great for parties!
And in the summer for picnics or parties, this classic cold shrimp pasta salad is always a hit.
(I also want to try this garlic butter shrimp with lemon dish soon from my friend Erin.)
Today I’m sharing this easy shrimp and penne pasta recipe, which I got from my Aunt Edith.
She loves to text or email me a photo of a dish she’s made and the very basic ingredients/instructions.
From there I set out to nail down the specifics and replicate it.
(She’s an awesome cook so I always trust her tastes!)
And this shrimp pasta is BIG on flavor! The shrimp is marinated to give it extra flavor and mixed with sautéed tomatoes, scallions and arugula. The veggies wilt down and add a bright pop and juiciness to the dish.
And the marinade doubles as the sauce so that it’s all ready to go and to serve atop the cooked, tender pasta.
I also love that it’s such an easy shrimp recipe to make.
I knew this to be the case before I even tried it myself because the picture she sent me with this dish was from their boat.
If you can make this on a boat, I feel like you can probably make it any old weeknight!
Plus it’s an all-in-one meal with the pasta and veggies mixed in. No extra sides needed for this meal!
I also kinda love that you use the whole pint of tomatoes, the entire bunch of scallions and all of a bag of baby arugula.
That way, you don’t have any scraps or half used ingredients left that will most likely just wilt away in the fridge.
Plus, it’s a really pretty dish. Always helps to have a good looking dinner to set out for the family!
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up for this recipe. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on shrimp and penne pasta:
- You can use homemade Italian dressing or just a bottle from the store to marinate the shrimp. It’s great if you can marinate for 30 minutes to an hour, but even just 15 will do it.
- I love the peppery bite from the baby arugula but you could substitute fresh baby spinach if you prefer.
- I use penne pasta with this, but bowtie pasta, a small shell pasta or even spaghetti noodles would work.
- Feta cheese is my preference for serving on top, but blue cheese is what my Aunt uses, so pick your favorite.
You can also serve this with fresh herbs (such as parsley or basil) and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if you have those on hand.
Finally, I like sharing some of my shrimp shopping tips to make it easy for you.
Cause there’s lots of options out there and it can get confusing!
Tips on buying shrimp for shrimp pasta:
- I buy frozen shrimp, which is actually fresher than “fresh” shrimp in the grocery store case. (Most stores thaw out frozen shrimp so buying it still frozen is a better move. Unless you can get it from a boat!)
- I love, love getting my shrimp already peeled and deveined - saves so much time. Highly recommend if you can find it that way.
- I prefer the 21-30 size shrimp, but you can use your favorite size.
- Cooking shrimp with the tail on helps give it more flavor. But you can then remove it so it’s easier to serve and eat.
Also, do be sure not to overcook your shrimp! They don’t take long at all to cook through and you don't want them to be rubbery or tough.
So that's it! Dinner is served!
The next time you see shrimp on sale or are in the mood for seafood, I hope you’ll give this easy shrimp and penne pasta a try.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Shrimp and penne pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (see notes)
- ¼ cup Italian dressing (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 oz. baby arugula
- 1 lb. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
- ⅓ cup feta cheese (or substitute blue cheese)
Instructions
- Marinate the shrimp in Italian dressing, in a bag or bowl, for at least 15-20 minutes or up to an hour.
- Cook the penne pasta according to package directions. Drain when finished.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, scallions and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the shrimp and cook on one side for 2-3 minutes, then flip over and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Add the arugula and stir until it’s wilted in and the shrimp is cooked through.
- Serve over cooked penne pasta and sprinkle with feta cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
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