Nothing says summer like pan-fried shrimp and a bright, zesty bowl of pasta. This Lemony Spaghetti with Shrimp and Pistachio Breadcrumbs might be a mouthful, but making it is a breeze and it’s the perfect end to a long, balmy summer day.
This Lemony Spaghetti with Shrimp and Pistachio Breadcrumbs is one of my favorites! It’s so fresh, garlicky and herby, it embodies all those wonderful Italian flavors. It’s a pretty simple dish, but complex and full of textures. The pistachio and parmesan breadcrumb topping add a very welcoming crunchy element to the dish and pairs so well with the pasta (that’s packed with garlic).
I love making shrimp pasta because it’s the kind of dish you can whip up in half an hour and it’s easily scalable. You can quickly feed an entire starving crowd if you need to. My dad is great at this (even though the man is allergic to shellfish!!). So when in doubt, we make shrimp pasta. Everyone’s happy. Every belly is full.
This recipe takes that idea but makes it a little bit more luxurious. There’s a crunchy topping. There’s pistachios involved. There’s a quick shrimp stock. All without losing the essence of a true shrimp pasta dish: quick, easy, and scrumptious.
Lemony Spaghetti with Shrimp and Pistachio Breadcrumbs
This recipe has a few components, but it’s all very easily manageable. It’s also pretty flexible and offers plenty of opportunities for customizations, so it’s very accommodating.
You can use whatever shape of pasta you like – linguini or tagliatelle works great here.
I think for the most scrumptious dish, it’s imperative you get a large, meaty, robust variety of shrimp (think pink shrimp, black tiger shrimp, and colossal shrimp). You can buy peeled and deveined shrimp if you want to make your life easier, but getting shelled ones has its advantages: we’re making a quick shrimp stock to coat our spaghetti in, instead of just relying on that little reserved pasta water. That adds more depth and complexity to the final dish and it takes about 5 minutes to make!
I’ll admit peeling shrimp is not exactly fun, but you have enough time to do that while the spaghetti is cooking and someone is standing next to you pretending to help, but really just babbling away while you do the bulk of the work. And isn’t that what cooking is all about? Just something to keep your hands busy while gabbing with friends?
Toasted Pistachio Breadcrumbs
And finally, do yourself a favor and don’t skip the breadcrumbs! It might sound like an insignificant detail, but it’s a bit of a flavor bomb: toasted breadcrumbs and toasted pistachios tossed with fresh parsley, freshly grated parmesan, and lemon zest (you can even add a little garlic in there. And maybe some red pepper flake, too). So if you think about it, it’s really an elevated version of just topping with parmesan.
And don’t throw away all those shrimp shells!! We’re making that quick shrimp stock I was just talking about. Get all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, and grated before you start cooking and you’ll be able to assemble your pasta super quickly and effortlessly.
As always, if you try this Lemony Spaghetti with Shrimp and Pistachio Breadcrumbs recipe, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so please leave a comment below!
Lemony Spaghetti with Shrimp and Pistachio Breadcrumbs
2-3
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
8 oz spaghetti
8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced
kosher salt and black pepper
- For the Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp pistachios, chopped
zest from 1 lemon
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp grated parmesan
Directions
Prepare your ingredients: peel and devein the shrimp (keep the shells for the broth), finely chop the garlic and parsley, zest the lemon, and chop the pistachios.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for later. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the breadcrumbs: heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and pistachios, and season with salt and pepper. Toast, stirring frequently, until golden, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a separate bowl and add the lemon zest, parmesan, and parsley. Toss to combine.
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Add the shrimp shells and cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing them to caramelize.
Add 1/2 cup of pasta water and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about half, about 3-5 minutes. Pour the stock through a mesh strainer into a measuring cup or heatproof bowl, pressing down on the shells until all the liquid is extracted. Set aside for now.
Season shrimp with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
To the same skillet (over medium heat), add 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, or until soft and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Add shrimp and saute until just cooked through and pink, about 2 minutes on each side.
Turn the heat to medium low, add strained broth back to the skillet, followed by the pasta and shrimp. Toss to coat. Add lemon juice and a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed, to loosen up the sauce.
Top with pistachio breadcrumbs and serve.
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