Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Marinara
My kids seem to love shrimp lately so I decided to make garlic basil shrimp with penne in a spicy basil marinara for dinner. I marinated the shrimp in olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil for a few hours while I simmered a simple and spicy basil marinara. I served the sauce over whole wheat penned then topped the dish with pan-grilled shrimp. The shrimp were very flavorful and perfectly cooked. The sauce wasn’t so spicy that the kids couldn’t eat it but had just enough kick to it. We all, especially my son, loved this dish.
How to Make Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Marinara
Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp if needed. Place them in a large zip lock bag. Combine the olive oil, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, finely minced garlic, and finely chopped basil together until well combined. Pour over the shrimp then seal the bag and shake and gently squish the bag until the shrimp are evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinate for 3-4 hours.
Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes then cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture. Add sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover with a lid, reduce to low and simmer for 3-4 hours if possible, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has simmered and you are ready to serve it, taste and re-season if needed. Add the fresh basil and mix until evenly combined. Set aside.
Cook the pasta in salted water per instructions. Drain.
About 5 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking; heat a large grill pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then flip them and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Dish up the cooked pasta into a serving bowl then top with spicy basil marinara and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil then serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 lb of shrimp
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 1 tbsp of fresh basil finely chopped
Spicy Basil Marinara:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ sweet yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes more if desired
- 1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes pureed
- 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
- 2-3 tsp sugar optional
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- ¼ cup of fresh basil chopped
- Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp if needed. Place them in a large zip lock bag. Combine the olive oil, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, finely minced garlic, and finely chopped basil together until well combined. Pour over the shrimp then seal the bag and shake and gently squish the bag until the shrimp are evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinate for 3-4 hours.
- Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes then cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture. Add sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover with a lid, reduce to low, and simmer for 3-4 hours if possible, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has simmered and you are ready to serve it, taste and re-season if needed. Add the fresh basil and mix until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta in salted water per instructions. Drain.
- About 5 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking; heat a large grill pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then flip them and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
- Dish up the cooked pasta into a serving bowl then top with spicy basil marinara and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil then serve immediately. Enjoy.
That was a good start for a day; seeing delicious shrimps around !!! That looks very tasty; I generally cook shrimps in clay pans with garlic, thyme,onions and cheddar cheese. I haven’t tried it on top of pasta yet ; but I will sure !!
Cheers 😀
We’ve been really talking about shrimp lately, but I wanted to try something new, so your post is right on time!! Thank you.
That looks really delicious !!!!!!
Yum!
This looks amazing! It’s the simple things I never think of…..marinating shrimp, duh!
I admire your dishes, they’re always full of flavor. This pasta dish looks really tasty. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Swoon. This recipe makes me wish I weren’t allergic to shrimp! I think I will try this recipe with chicken!
What an amazing dish, Pam. I can’t believe I’ve never added shrimp to a spaghetti dish. And that spicy marinara sauce is to die for, especially after that 3-4 hour simmer! It must have been so flavorful.
Looks delicious! I love the recipes you come up with, always something amazing.
Looks amazing, Pam! I’d love a bit plate of that right now….. YUM!
This sounds fantastic. I LOVE the look of that shrimp on top.
That looks wonderful!
I really need to start cooking with shrimp more, it just seems intimidating because I never had it much growing up. This looks delicious.
I’m so impressed that your kids love shrimp! I hated it when I was a kid. Love all the fresh flavors in this! Perfect pasta.
I love everything about this dish. The shrimp looks delicious with this wonderful marinara and pasta.
I think I would love this recipe. I love a little kick to my meals, just not too much.
oooh this looks so delicious.. love the combo of basil, marinara and shrimp.. just can’t go wrong with it. DELICIOUS!
Thank you very much for this recipe. Inspiring to all.
What a tasty looking pasta! I especially like the addition of the shrimp!
Good morning, I featured this recipe on my blog today for my weekly seafood round-up. It looks great, thanks for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/week-20-seafood-frenzy-friday.html
Pinned it! Definitely going to make this – shrimp done on the grill, the rest as is. (Mainly because marinara drips through the grill grates, ha ha)
This was a simple and tasty dish that served many purposes….I made half the shrimp and all the sauce . Had the shrimp for dinner one night; used some of the marina with Pam’s baked ravioli as a Superbowl appetizer, and I”m using the rest tonight for her Herb Chicken Parmesan! I added a bay leaf to the sauce, but otherwise made it as specified. It has a really nice warm heat….like an Arrabiata. I think it would be great if made with home-grown tomatoes in the summer and then canned….but we are a long ways from tomato season right now!