Shrimp Piccata Spaghetti

By Kay Chun

Updated March 23, 2022

Shrimp Piccata Spaghetti
Sang An for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Simon Andrews.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(2,617)
Comments
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The zesty piccata sauce of fresh lemon juice, briny capers and rich butter is the inspiration behind this weeknight seafood pasta. Plump, meaty shrimp pair perfectly with the pantry-staple sauce, which is simple yet fresh and bright. The chopped shrimp are gently cooked over low heat in a shallot and garlic-infused olive oil to keep them tender. Peas are an easy way to add a vegetable with pops of sweetness. (Thawed frozen corn would also work well.) The dish is finished with fresh parsley, but other herbs like basil, chives or dill would yield equally delicious results.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1pound spaghetti
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1medium shallot, finely chopped (½ cup)
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 1pound cleaned medium shrimp, chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • 1cup thawed frozen peas
  • 2tablespoons capers, plus 2 tablespoons caper brine
  • 3tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2tablespoons chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

505 calories; 16 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 511 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

  2. Step 2

    While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in it. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds.

  3. Step 3

    Reduce heat to medium-low, add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp just turn opaque, 4 to 5 minutes. If the shrimp is done before the pasta finishes, remove the skillet from heat.

  4. Step 4

    Return pasta and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to the large pasta pot and heat over medium. Add the shrimp mixture, peas, capers, caper brine and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper. Stir vigorously until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley.

  5. Step 5

    Divide pasta in bowls and garnish with more parsley.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,617 user ratings
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Comments

Edward Dunne

Cut cooking time for the shrimp to no more than 3 minutes.

Ludmila

Added a touch of cream at the end as the sauce did not thicken as expected. Totally delicious and well worth a repeat

missingbrooklyn

INSANELY good, and on the table in 20 mins. To those who don’t get a creamy sauce: boil your pasta in a skillet. Water boils faster, but also gets starchier, and will make a creamier sauce. Used 1.5 lbs shrimp (cook 5 mins), and forgot the lemon and parsley; topped w a bit of parm. SO good.

jean

This was delicious and easy. I followed the advice of others to use a pasta other than spaghetti. Rather than returning the pasta and water to its pot and adding the shrimp, I did the opposite. It didn’t make sense to me to transfer the shrimp in its sauce to another pot.

Julee Jackson

Could I use rice instead of pasta?

Mei Mei

Use another type pasta than spaghetti. Add more sauce and less pasta. Maybe add a little cream at the end.

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