Shrimp Cavatappi
Recipe GLPR0a8e9020d3096f
A creamy Italian pasta dish featuring jumbo shrimp cooked with garlic, shallots, mushrooms, and fresh spinach, tossed with tender cavatappi pasta in a smooth feta and roasted red pepper cream sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for an elegant weeknight dinner.
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Ingredients
8 cups uncooked cavatappi pasta
8 ounces heavy cream
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
8 cups fresh baby spinach, destemmed
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatappi pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a separate medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, crumbled feta cheese, and roasted red pepper strips. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the feta melts completely and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Keep warm on low heat.
Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1-2 minutes per side until the shrimp just begin to turn opaque.
Add the minced garlic and minced shallots to the skillet with the shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and sliced mushrooms. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and the shrimp turn fully pink and opaque (shrimp is safely cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F or when the flesh is completely opaque throughout).
Add the fresh baby spinach to the skillet, stirring gently until the spinach wilts completely, about 1-2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cooked cavatappi pasta and the warm feta cream sauce to the skillet. Toss everything together gently until the pasta is evenly coated and all components are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Divide the shrimp cavatappi among four serving bowls and serve immediately while hot.
