Shrimp Spaghetti (The Creamiest You've Ever Had - Without Cream!)

Spaghetti with shrimp tomato sauce on a plate.

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Shrimp Spaghetti (The Creamiest You've Ever Had - Without Cream!)

This Shrimp spaghetti or pasta ai gamberi is the best one you've ever had. Promise. It's one of the most beloved Italian seafood pasta recipes. Coated in slightly sweet fresh tomato sauce it's nothing short of epic.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 676kcal

Author: Svi

Ingredients

16 oz shrimps (450-500 grams)
8 oz spaghetti (230-250 grams)
2 cups cherry tomatoes , cut in halves or quarters 300-350 g
⅓ cup dry white wine
3 parsley sprigs
1-2 garlic cloves
Pinch peperoncino flakes hot pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Instructions

Clean The Shrimps

Using a pair of scissors cut off a small of of the head that includes shrimp antennas and eyes.
Do the same with shrimp legs.
Don’t remove the whole head as it add so much flavor to the sauce.
Also keep shrimp tails on, both for flavor and visual esthetics.
This is an essential step to make sure you don’t find shrimp pieces all over your pasta.
Run cleaned shrimps under cold water, pat dry and set aside.

Prepare The Sauce

In a large pan pan add a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil, garlic crushed with a flat knife and a pinch of dried peperoncino/ chili flakes
1-2 garlic cloves, Extra virgin olive oil, Pinch peperoncino flakes
Let simmer on low heat for 1-2 minutes then add cherry tomatoes.
2 cups cherry tomatoes
Cook on medium-low heat for about 7-10 minutes, you’ll noticed how tomatoes first will have released their juices and than it slowly starts to slightly thicken. But don’t let the tomatoes dry! If this happens add a splash of water.
Increase the heat to high and add previously cleaned shrimps. Toss them in the pan for a few minutes then add white wine.
16 oz shrimps
Keeping the heat on high and stir. Wait till the wine has evaporated and the sauce starts to thicken.
⅓ cup dry white wine
Add fresh parsley and give one final toss in the pan.
As a result you should still have liquid rosè sauce in the pan but it will be slightly thickened (see photo).
Taste for salt. Likely you won't need any as shrimp are naturally salty.
But you can add a pinch or 2 if necessary.
IMPORTANT: If the sauce starts to dry out add a splash of water and extra virgin olive oil.
Never let the sauce dry. You have to have something to cling on to pasta!
3 parsley sprigs, Salt
Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until 'al dente'.
8 oz spaghetti
Reserve about 1 ½ -2 cups of pasta cooking liquid then drain.
Toss it in the shrimp tomato sauce and add about ½ cup of pasta cooking liquid.
Set on medium heat and let it simmer coating in the delicious sauce.
Add more pasta cooking liquid if it dries out.
It will take another 2-3 minutes for pasta to finish in the pan.
If the pasta is too dry or still too much al dente, add more of the reserved cooking liquid.
As a final result you should have super creamy and rich shrimp tomato sauce.
Give it a round of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

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