Shrimp and Asparagus Marinara with Mini Bow Tie Pasta
Before I get into the recipe for Shrimp and Asparagus Marinara with Mini Bow Tie Pasta , I have to tell you that I’ve been very lucky to be married to an amazing guy for the past 23 years. One thing I learned early on in my marriage is this: if I want a happy husband, all I need to do is feed him pasta. John Skinner, my love: this post is dedicated to you and your love of all things pasta!
Do you love shrimp? Asparagus? Pasta? Then Shrimp and Asparagus Marina with Mini Bow Tie Pasta is the dish for you. It checks the box on so many meal requirements.
Need a one pot meal that can serve as a weeknight meal? This is it. It’s ready in 30 minutes flat. How about an easy-yet-impressive meal for a Saturday night dinner party? Yup, check!
Your guests will be super impressed by the taste combination and the colorful, creative artistry of the red tomatoes, green asparagus, and pink and white flecked shrimp. What about when you need to use up in-season tomatoes? Check, Check, Check!
Shrimp and Asparagus Marinara with Mini Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta)
Ingredients:
1 Box Barilla Mini Farfalle Pasta (You can subsitite any style pasta you prefer. Just make sure you use an entire one pound box)
2 lbs. Frozen peeled and deveined shrimp – 21/30 Count (you can also use a smaller size shrimp, too!)
2 – 28 oz. cans of Tomatoes — they can be diced or whole. I personally prefer Tuttorosso brand. Alternately, if you want to you fresh tomatoes, rough chop about 8-10 medium sized tomatoes, removing the seeds. You can also blanch and remove the skins — but honestly, who in their right mind has time for all that?? 😉
1 Bunch Asparagus, rinsed, woody stems removed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and chopped
Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves or 2 Tbsp. Dried Basil
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Peel and de-vein your shrimp and set aside in bowl filled with cold water.
- In a large dutch oven, add water to cook your pasta according to your package directions. But don’t light the fire yet! Wait until you’ve prepared the sauce.
For the Marinara Sauce:
- In a saucepan on medium-high, add olive oil. Once it heats up, add your chopped garlic. Now this step is key — saute the garlic for about 30 seconds — that’s it! As soon as you smell the garlic, add those tomatoes! Otherwise your sauce will go from sweet and delicious to bitter and nasty quick. Add in a teaspoon of salt and pepper (you can taste again later and add more as necessary). Add in your fresh or dried basil and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Saute the garlic in olive oil.
- Now, drain the water from the shrimp and add in an even layer to your sauce. Poke the shrimp down into the sauce, cover again, and let cook for an additional 5 minutes. Shrimp cook fast! The flavor of the sauce will coat the shrimp and make them taste out of this world.
- Meanwhile, as your shrimp begins to cook, add fire to your pasta water and cook pasta according to package instructions. In the last three minutes of cooking, add the asparagus to the pasta water! Boom! Drain in a colander, and return pasta and asparagus back to the pot.
- Add your shrimp marinara to the pot and give it a taste. If it needs more salt and pepper, add it in! Taste and repeat until it’s just right. Your shrimp and asparagus marinara with mini bow tie pasta is ready!
- So right about now most chefs will tell you to add some pretty basil leaves for a garnish and that’s awesome if you’re looking to impress. But in our house, we just plain serve it up and dig in!
- 1 Box (pound) Barilla Mini Farfalle Pasta You can subsitite any style pasta you prefer. Just make sure you use an entire one pound box
- 2 lbs. Frozen peeled and deveined shrimp - 21/30 Count you can also use a smaller size shrimp, too!
- 2 - 28 oz. cans of Tomatoes -- they can be diced or whole. I personally prefer Tuttorosso brand. Alternately if you want to you fresh tomatoes, rough chop about 8-10 medium sized tomatoes, removing the seeds. You can also blanch and remove the skins -- but honestly, who in their right mind has time for all that?? 😉
- 1 Bunch Asparagus rinsed, woody stems removed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 6 Cloves of Garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 Handful Fresh Basil Leaves or 2 Tbsp. Dried Basil
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
-
Peel and de-vein your shrimp and set aside in bowl filled with cold water.
-
In a large dutch oven, add water to cook your pasta according to your package directions. But don't light the fire yet! Wait until you've prepared the sauce.
-
In a saucepan on medium-high, add olive oil. Once it heats up, add your chopped garlic. Now this step is key -- saute the garlic for about 30 seconds -- that's it! As soon as you smell the garlic, add those tomatoes! Otherwise your sauce will go from sweet and delicious to bitter and nasty quick. Add in a teaspoon of salt and pepper (you can taste again later and add more as necessary). Add in your fresh or dried basil and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
-
Now, drain the water from the shrimp and add in an even layer to your sauce. Poke the shrimp down into the sauce, cover again, and let cook for an additional 5 minutes. Shrimp cook fast! The flavor of the sauce will coat the shrimp and make them taste out of this world.
-
Meanwhile, as your shrimp begins to cook, add fire to your pasta water and cook pasta according to package instructions. In the last three minutes of cooking, add the asparagus to the pasta water! Boom! Drain in a colander, and return pasta and asparagus back to the pot.
-
Add your shrimp marinara to the pot and give it a taste. If it needs more salt and pepper, add it in! Taste and repeat until it's just right. Your shrimp and asparagus marinara with mini bow tie pasta is ready!
So right about now most chefs will tell you to add some pretty basil leaves for a garnish and that's awesome if you're looking to impress. But in our house, we just plain serve it up and dig in!
Enjoy!
I can’t wait to try this. Yum
Looks yummy and easy – just wondering if I can substitute the pasta for zucchini noodles? Trying to cut down my carbs!!
Hi, Nomiki! Absolutely. I love zoodles and substitute frequently. My only suggestion is to NOT combine the zoodles with the shrimp marinara, since zucchini is mostly water and will turn into a mushy texture. Instead, serve the shrimp and asparagus marinara over the zoodles to maintain the crunch and texture we love about zoodles.