This quick and easy Shrimp Tomato Pasta is a simple dish with so much flavor from so few ingredients.
The simple sauce is loaded with garlic and then finished with fresh tomatoes. If you love shrimp scampi, you will love this Shrimp Tomato Pasta!
Ready in just 20 minutes, this pasta is delicious! Sweet shrimp combined with the tangy sweet fresh taste of ripe tomatoes all tangled around perfectly cooked pasta.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are there to help make this recipe a success, it covers some but not all ingredients, for a full ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Shrimp: When it comes to raw shrimp, I like to buy frozen ones! They defrost quickly, meaning I can always make a quick dinner with them. You can also use fresh shelled and deveined shrimp. If you are using frozen, defrost them thoroughly before cooking. I usually buy 20-25 or 26-30 counts, regardless of whether I buy fresh or frozen.
Onion: I used a small brown onion, but white, yellow or red onions would be fine. Or use a shallot.
Garlic: This recipe has a lot of garlic, but that is what makes it so good! Feel free to change the amount; garlic should always be measured with the heart.
Tomatoes: I like plum or Roma tomatoes best, but buy the ripest tomatoes you can; you want their sweet, tangy freshness.
Red pepper flakes: Add more or less to taste.
Lemon: Fresh is best as you will need some of the zest and juice.
Parsley: Fresh is best here; if you have none, you can use dried.
Why You'll Love this Shrimp Tomato Pasta
- It is so simple to make!
- It takes less than 30 minutes.
- It uses ingredients that are so easy to buy at the store.
- It has a lot of garlic in it, so you know it will be good!
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you, have a look at our tips for getting the best dish can!
- Peel and chop your garlic while the pasta water comes to a boil. This will save you time.
- Before adding the pasta, heavily salt the boiling water, it will give your finished dish more flavor.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water. You will need some to add to the sauce later.
- Cook the pasta for one minute less than recommended on the package. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce, soaking up the delicious garlicky sauce without overcooking.
- Don't overcook the shrimp; they will be tossed through hot pasta and continue to cook. Saute them for 3-4 minutes, then remove them from the pan.
- Deseed and chop the tomatoes. This stops the sauce being too watery and also keeps the flavor sweeter and more intense.
- Don't cook the tomatoes for very long. They need around 2 minutes. You are aiming to warm them through rather than turn them soft.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking, we can all create our own delicious art.
- You can easily swap out the pasta for another long noodle, or a shape like a fusilli or Gemelli.
- This dish is delicious with crab instead of the shrimp, or if it is that time of year where lobster is cheap you can substitute in lobster chunks.
- For extra veg, add some baby spianch at the end of cooking.
- Fry sliced mushrooms off with the onion.
- Spice it up further with some slice red chili.
Serving Suggestions
Sides: This Shrimp Tomato Pasta is a garlicky treat, so you don't need garlic bread, but a few slices of toasted ciabatta for soaking up any extra liquid is perfect here. Or skip the bread and serve this alongside a spinach and mushroom salad.
Wine: The garlic in this will always work with a sauvignon blanc, which should also balance the tomatoes, assuming you got sweet summer tomatoes. Alternatively, a Soave or a French rose would be great.
Enjoy x
If you try this Shrimp Tomato Pasta, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that the recipe is trustworthy.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Get the Recipe
Shrimp Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 12 ounces spaghetti
For the shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 10 garlic cloves minced
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 tomatoes deseeded and chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil; once boiling, add the salt. Add the pasta as per the packet instructions. Once cooked, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and drain the pasta.1 tablespoon salt12 ounces spaghetti
While the pasta is cooking.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the skillet.1.5 lb shrimp½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon pepper
- Stir the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.¼ cup butter1 onion10 garlic cloves⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add in the chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.8 tomatoes½ teaspoon salt
- Add the shrimp back into the skillet. Add the lemon zest and juice.1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Stir in the cooked pasta and parsley. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir everything together. Add more it looks dry.1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- Toss to combine, check the seasoning, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Michelle says
Shrimp Tomato Pasta has become one of my favorite go-to recipes for a special occasion or a fancy dinner. I love how the simplicity of the recipe allows the natural flavors of the shrimp and tomato to shine through, the dish is also very easy to make, making it a perfect option for a quick and impressive meal.
Ann says
This was a delicious recipe and very easy to put together!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Thanks Ann
Cx
Rose says
Hi! I made this shrimp tomato pasta last night, it was very delicious, light and simple to prepare. My boys love anything spaghetti, so they gobbled it up. I love when I make a meal that everyone will actually eat. Thank you!
Erica says
Was cleaning out the fridge last weekend and looking for some way to use up one lonely zucchini, but I really was dying for this shrimp pasta. I diced it up and tossed it in here and it actually worked!
Elizabeth S says
This was a great dinner! It was creamy, flavorful, and a great way to use shrimp. Will definitely make again.
william c dixon says
excellent recipe in all respects, just as it is. I put in extra parsley.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So Happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment
Cx
Gina says
Loved this recipe for a quick and easy dinner that's also nutritious!
Dick A. says
Prepared exactly as written other than a splash of white wine.......easy and outstanding!
MRomero says
Made it, love it! I added spinach what a great suggestion. We will absolutely make this recipe again. Thanks !