Juicy, pan-seared shrimp tossed in a simple tomato marinara with garlic, onion, oregano, and a little kick from red pepper flakes. Made with San Marzano tomatoes and finished with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan, it’s an easy pasta dinner that feels a little more special than your average weeknight meal. I’ve even served this at a casual dinner party, and boom… it’s a hit! Best of all, it’s ridiculously easy to make.
Use a hand blender to blend the tomatoes right in the pot until the sauce is mostly smooth but still has a little texture.
In a nutshell
Sauté onion and garlic → add tomatoes and seasonings → blend until semi-smooth and simmer → cook spaghetti → sear shrimp → stir shrimp and pan juices into the sauce → serve over pasta with fresh basil and Parmesan.
Easy Shrimp Marinara
Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian4
servings10
minutes25
minutes35
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
14 oz spaghetti (1 box)
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed)
1 can (28 oz) San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, chopped or thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for cooking
Fresh basil leaves, torn for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Directions
- Start the sauce. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes. Pour in the San Marzano tomatoes. Use a hand blender to blend the sauce until it reaches a semi-smooth consistency, leaving a little texture if you like.
- Season and simmer. Stir in the oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it cook while you prepare the pasta and shrimp, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving a little pasta water in case you need to loosen the sauce.
- Sear the shrimp. Pat the thawed shrimp dry with paper towels. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp for 1–2 minutes per side, depending on their size, until pink and just cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if needed.
- Finish the sauce. Transfer the shrimp to the marinara sauce. Pour a splash of the reserved pasta water into the skillet, scraping up any delicious browned bits (fond) from the bottom, and pour it into the main sauce pot. Stir gently and simmer for another minute to bring everything together.
- Serve. Divide the spaghetti among bowls and spoon the shrimp marinara over top. Finish with fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
- A little extra fresh basil and a bright green side salad or some roasted broccoli add colour and freshness to the plate.
- We love shrimp so I usually use a bag and a half.
