Angel hair pasta with shrimp and red sauce

This Angel Hair Pasta with shrimp in red sauce full of flavors from tomatoes and herbs is a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love.

We are going to cook the shrimps in red sauce that takes about 10 minutes to prepare the shrimps and tomato sauce and 15 minutes to cook. While the shrimps are simmering away in the sauce, you can cook the angel hair pasta that takes 1 minute flat. Delicious, Easy, Healthy shrimp pasta recipe that helps you get dinner to the table in less than 30 minutes. You’re going to love this!

Red sauce for Pasta

Honestly, I was never a fan of the tomato sauce, the tang is too much for me, especially the store-bought ones or even the restaurant ones. That was until I figured out a way to balance the tangy flavor of the tomatoes with garlic, onions and herbs. And I’m so thankful I did, this shrimp pasta recipe has become one of the favorite dinner recipes for my family and friends.

This red sauce is made by sauteing onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, oregano, paprika, chili flakes and then blending to form a paste. Before blending, add my secret ingredient: parsley stalks. They give an amazing flavor to the sauce and balance out the zesty flavor of tomatoes. They may slightly change the bright red color of the tomatoes but that’s the compromise you make for a great-tasting sauce.

Shrimp in Red Sauce

how do you prepare the shrimps?

If buying fresh shrimps, remove the shells and tail and devein. If using frozen shrimps, thaw them by washing a few times with tap water or soaking in tap water for about 10 minutes, until they reach room temperature. Leaving frozen shrimps to thaw naturally (on the kitchen counter) will make the shrimps go limp and mushy.

Shrimps are very delicate and they have to be handled with care. Like the 5-ingredient garlic shrimps and fried shrimps, they taste awesome with minimal seasoning and handling.

how do you cook shrimps in tomato sauce?

Grease a baking tray with butter and arrange the shrimps in a single layer. Spread the red sauce to completely cover the shrimps. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°F/ 175°C.

can I cook the shrimps with red sauce on stovetop?

Baking the sauce with shrimps locks in the flavor and gives a thick consistency. However, if you want to cook the sauce on stovetop, by all means, go ahead. It takes a bit longer if simmered on stove-top. Heat butter in a pan and add the shrimps and sauce. Mix and simmer until the prawns are cooked (become opaque).

how do you cook angel hair pasta?

I used to think that nobody needs to learn how to cook pasta because it is so straight forward. I’ve never been so WRONG! If you don’t cook it right, you will be left with a lump of pasta which is overcooked in some parts and undercooked in some. Or just clumpy overcooked pasta. Cooking angel hair pasta is trickier because it cooks so fast, you don’t even have time to think about the damage!

So when cooking angel hair, I can’t stress “al dente” more. That means the pasta should be “firm to the bite” and not too soft.

To begin with, ensure that you’ve started cooking the shrimps with the sauce in the oven (or stovetop) BEFORE cooking the pasta because the sauce has to be hot and ready when the pasta is done.

Boil water (about 3 liters/ 12 cups for this recipe) in a large stockpot with 1 tablespoon of salt. There should be enough water and space for the pasta to move around. So choose a large pot to boil the pasta.

how long does angel hair pasta take to cook?

Angel hair pasta typically takes 2 to 4 minutes to cook depending on the brand. Cook 1 minute lesser than the time specified in the package. Mine said 2 minutes so I cooked for 1 minute. (quicker than instant noodles!) This is because you are going to mix the pasta with hot sauce where it again gets cooked in the residual heat.

how to make shrimp pasta

Drain the pasta while you reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. The shrimps in red sauce will be ready by now. Place the pasta in a wide pan and toss with the red sauce and shrimps. Add the reserved pasta water as necessary, a few teaspoons at a time. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and parsley.

Tips to make the best shrimp with angel hair pasta

Do not skip the parsley stems while making the red sauce. It makes ALL the difference.

Toss the pasta with the sauce while it is still HOT. This helps the pasta absorb the sauce better.

Hope I have answered all your questions about this healthy shrimp pasta recipe.

More healthy pasta recipes you might like

creamy vegan pasta with chickpeas

veggie pasta salad with balsamic dressing

pasta salad with mint yogurt dressing

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Angel hair pasta with shrimp

Angel hair pasta gets a delicious makeover with this shrimp pasta with red sauce! A quick and easy flavorful dinner the whole family will love!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course dinner, LUNCH, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 5

Calories 391 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 10 ounces angel hair pasta (300 gms)
• 1 pound shrimps (500 grams) peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 onions medium, diced
• 4 tomatoes large, diced
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (plus 1 tablespoon for cooking pasta)
• parsley a bunch (stems and leaves separated)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 175°C.

  Heat olive oil in a pan and saute the onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, chili flakes, paprika, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute until the tomatoes turn mushy. Remove from heat and cool the mixture.

  Blend the mixture along with the parsley stems. You can keep the sauce chunky or blend it to a smooth consistency.
• Grease a baking dish with butter. Place the shrimps in a single layer and spread the sauce to cover the shrimps. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. (note 2)
• While the shrimps and sauce are cooking in the oven, bring 3 litres (12 cups) of water with 1 tablespoon salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the angel hair pasta and cook for 1-3 minutes. (see note 1) Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
• Once the sauce is ready, place the pasta in a wide pan and toss it with the shrimps and sauce, adding the reserved pasta water as necessary, one tablespoon at a time (note 3). Top with grated parmesan cheese and parsley.

Video

Notes

1. Angel hair pasta typically cooks in 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the brand. Cook 1 minute less than the time specified in the package. This is because it cooks again when tossed with the hot sauce.
2. I used large shrimps here that typically take 15 minutes to cook. Smaller shrimps take 10 minutes.
3. Toss in the pasta while the sauce is still hot. This ensures that the pasta absorbs the sauce well and the sauce clings on to each strand of pasta.

Cooking the sauce on stovetop:

The sauce can also be cooked on stovetop. Heat butter in a saute pan and add shrimps and the blended onion tomato paste. Simmer on medium heat until the shrimps are cooked. 

Make ahead option:

The cooked sauce with shrimps can be sealed in an airtight container in the fridge.  In this case, cook the sauce 5 minutes lesser, because the shrimps get cooked again when being reheated. Reheat for 5 minutes in the microwave and toss in the pasta.

Variations: 

1. Chicken can be used instead of shrimps.
2. Vegetables like roasted or sauteed broccoli or cauliflower, boiled peas or spinach can be added. If using spinach, chop and add to the sauce as soon as you take it out of the oven.
3. Other pasta like spaghetti or linguini can be used instead of angel hair.

Keyword angel hair shrimp pasta, easy shrimp pasta recipes, healthy shrimp pasta recipes, red sauce for pasta

Did you make this angel hair shrimp pasta? Please let me know how it turned out for you. I would love to hear from you.

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