I was really craving some shrimp last week.
And not shrimp cocktail or shrimp tacos.
Nope, I was craving the classic, good old Italian shrimp scampi. The foolproof Italian shrimp recipe never does me wrong.
Now, ever since I started making the commitment of cooking every day, I’ll admit I get a bit carried away with some of my recipes. I’ll add too much of an ingredient that could’ve been used as a side dish, or not at all. I’ll try a new seasoning that sometimes won’t work.
But that wasn’t the case with this easy recipe.
This came out perfectly. It was so good that my fiancé begged me for weeks to make it again, it was one of his favorite dinners.
And so I did, and it became even more delicious.
The best part? It was so incredibly easy. I promise you the hardest part of this recipe was cooking the shrimp, and even shrimp cooks incredibly quickly.
This easy shrimp scampi pasta recipe will be your family’s new favorite thing! Let’s make it together.
You’ll Need:
Trader Joe’s Bomba Sauce: Or any other calabrian chili based sauce. You could even make your own if you want, by adding some crushed red pepper flakes to the pan with some tomato paste.
Fettuccine: I’d say use fettuccine over spaghetti, unless you’re using fresh spaghetti noodles. It’s one of the best tasting pastas there is. The only reason I used spaghetti on this particular trial run is because that’s all we had in the cabinet. Any kind of fettuccine is fair game here. You can get this from the imported foods section of your local grocery store.
Olive Oil: Make sure to use your favorite!
Shrimp: Fresh shrimp or frozen shrimp, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure that it is peeled and deveined. One pound of shrimp should do the trick.
Spinach: While this is totally optional, this’ll add a whole new dimension to your dish that you weren’t expecting. It’s also a great way to get some veggies in.
Garlic: I’d say use two garlic cloves, but honestly use as much as you like. It’s all about personal preference. Personally, I love garlic, and the last time I made this I probably used around four cloves. It elevates the taste and brings you a whole new layer of flavor that you never would have imagined existed.
Parmesan Cheese or Grated Romano Cheese: This will be the star of the show at the end of the recipe!
Directions:
Bring a large bowl of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water generously, and add your fettuccine to the boiling water. Cook until al dente or according to package directions.
While the water is boiling, begin to prepare the shrimp. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a skillet or heavy-bottomed pan with some chopped garlic over medium heat.
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the shrimp. Season with salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and a dash of paprika, and lemon zest (optional). Cook until just pink on both sides, and remove from the pan
Add some more olive oil and begin to saute your spinach. Cook it however you like, I always like mine dark green.
Add the shrimp back to the pain along with 2 tbsp of grated Romano cheese and a half scoop of Bomba sauce. This will be the shrimp scampi sauce. Add the fettuccine to the pan, and mix everything together thoroughly.
Serve as is!
FAQs:
Q: What else could I add to this other than the bomba sauce if I don’t like spice?
This would be great with just a dash of tomato paste and then a splash of half and half or heavy cream, to make the whole dish a bit creamier. I bet you’ll love it!
Q: How would I make a garlic butter sauce to go along with this recipe?
Nice and simple! Just add some butter to the pan instead of olive oil at first, and you’re good to go. I also recommend adding some extra Romano or parmesan cheese to it, that way you’ll get the consistency of a creamy parmesan sauce.
Q: Are there any other vegetables that I could add to this?
If you really wanted to kick this fettuccine shrimp scampi up a notch, I’d add some sundried tomatoes to the mix. Chop them up into 1/4s, and add them to the pan when you’d add the shrimp. If you’re going this route, I just recommend using a little less olive oil, as the tomatoes will have enough in them as is.
Q: I don’t like shrimp. What other kind of meat would go well with this?
I recommend adding some chicken thighs. Even if you do like shrimp, this could be delicious with the dark meat of the chicken in the dish. Let me know what you think of the chicken shrimp combo if you go this route!
What To Serve With This:
Wine: It’s a right of passage to enjoy shrimp scampi with a nice glass of white wine. Some chardonnay would be delicious with it.
Appetizer: If you really want to go all out on the crustacean aspect of this seafood dish, I highly recommend trying out these stuffed mushrooms with crab meat and gouda.
Side: I love my veggies, so I would make more of them as a side dish. Sauteed broccoli with garlic is always a wonderful option.
Dessert: For dessert, try out the Italian version of an icebox cake, or “La Mattonella.” It’s light, airy, and the perfect way to end your meal.
Recipe Card:
PrintFettuccine Bomba Scampi | A Fettuccine Shrimp Scampi Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Serves 2-4 People | Time: 15-20 Minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of frozen or fresh raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb of fettuccine
- 1 tbsp Trader Joe’s Bomba Sauce (or crushed red pepper and tomato paste)
- 1 package of spinach, washed
- 2–4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp of olive oil, add more if necessary
- 2 tbsp grated Romano cheese
- 1.5 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water. Once boiling, add half of the salt and pasta and let cook until al dente or according to package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, add the shrimp and minced garlic to a large skillet. or heavy bottomed pan
- Season shrimp with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning, and cook over medium-high heat until just pink.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan. Add more olive oil if necessary, and add the spinach. Sauté on medium-low heat to your liking.
- Add the shrimp back in, along with the bomba sauce and grated Romano. Add the pasta to the pan with the garlicky sauce, and thoroughly mix.
- Serve as is, topping with fresh parsley and crusty bread as a side if you have any.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Shrimp
1 thought on “Fettuccine Bomba Shrimp Scampi”
These look amazing. My family is not very fond of scampi but I’m gonna try this recipe on our next sunday lunch and see if I can change their mind!
★★★★★