We love pasta year-round!!!! It's funny, there are so many "favorite foods" that we only make in the fall and winter like Meatloaf or Lasagna. We love them, but for some reason, I don't want them in the middle of summer😀 . Now, I have to say, a lot of people don't like to have soup in the summer, but we actually love soups any time of the year especially if I have a cold. We're just weirdos, I guess.😆 Pasta dishes, on the other hand, are so versatile it's great any time of the year. This Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp is a super fun summer-ey dish that has an extra pop of flavor from the lemons and garlic!!! DELISH! Also, this recipe is a great way to squash that craving for a Pasta Alfredo but with fewer calories!!!
Lite Summer Alfredo
We decided that Pasta Alfredo is more of a winter dish (I would eat it any time of the year) because it is so heavy. This Creamy Lemon Pasta recipe is so lite and reminds me of an Alfredo but with fewer calories. It's loaded with tons of summer flavors so it's bright but still creamy. The best part of this pasta..... it's easy and fast to make, not to mention, it'll make you happy to eat. Now, it is pasta so you have to plan the calories for the day. But not as much planning is needed for this recipe as a full-calorie Alfredo. It has 712 calories per serving but a typical Alfredo pasta has 1200 calories. So there's definitely a nice saving. Also, we all know at least one glass of wine will be consumed when having any nice pasta dish!!!😄🍷
Creamy Lemon Pasta TIPS:
- Mix some of the hot pasta sauce with the ricotta cheese before adding it back into the creamy lemon pasta mixture. This keeps the ricotta cheese from curdling and makes a very creamy, smooth sauce.
- Sautéing the garlic cloves makes them sweeter
- Shrimp is done when it turns pink/opaque. Usually takes 2 - 4 minutes to cook depending on the size of the shrimp.
- Salt the pasta water after the water starts to boil. Using this method helps ensure the pasta is seasoned nicely with the salt.
- Cook the pasta until it is al dente.
Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 Ounces Pasta
- 3 Tablespoons Salt
- 2 Lemons
- 1 Zest One Lemon
- 6 Cloves Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ Cup White Wine
- ½ Pound Shrimp
- ½ Cup Ricotta
- ¼ Cup Basil Leaves
- 3 Serrano peppers Optional
Instructions
- Boil Water for Pasta. Add salt when the water starts to boil. Then add pasta. Cook pasta one (1) minute less than the package directions
- When pasta is done reserve ½ Cup of the pasta water. Reserve the water for the sauce
While Pasta is cooking prepare the Sauce.
- Zest and juice one lemon
- Heat olive oil and add garlic cloves with 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté garlic until it is a nice golden brown. The garlic will be soft. Takes 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and sauté for 3 more minutes. Or until the shrimp start to turn pink/opaque. (The shrimp can be removed at this point and placed on a dish. We left them in the sauce it gave them a nice lemon flavor)
- Optional - Add serrano peppers
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon Juice, wine, and pasta water
- Toss the pasta in the sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes to reduce the sauce and finish cooking the pasta. Turn off heat
- When adding the ricotta cheese. Take about ¼ cup of the hot pasta sauce and stir into the ricotta cheese.
- Pour ricotta sauce over the pasta and shrimp. Gently stir the ricotta sauce into the pasta.
- Enjoy! Top with basil. Parmesan cheese can also be served as an additional topping with this pasta.
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