Garlic Pasta Puttanesca with Shrimp Recipe

Introduction

Garlic Pasta Puttanesca with Shrimp is a flavorful Italian dish that combines briny olives, capers, and a rich tomato sauce with tender shrimp. Ready in under an hour, this recipe delivers bold, savory flavors with minimal fuss, making it perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined, 21-25 count for best size)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 lb linguine
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, freshly minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio recommended)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 3 tbsp capers
• 2 tsp butter
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting, prepare your mise en place by dicing the onion, mincing the garlic, halving the olives, measuring the capers, chopping the parsley, and grating the parmesan.
2. Step 2: Heat olive oil and 1 tsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook shrimp 1-2 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through. Remove shrimp and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, sauté the red onion with a pinch of salt for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavor.
4. Step 4: Pour in white wine, scraping up browned bits from the skillet bottom. Add salt and pepper, then simmer uncovered for 4-5 minutes until the wine reduces by half.
5. Step 5: Add kalamata olives, capers, and the remaining butter to the sauce, stirring until melted. Meanwhile, cook linguine in the boiling water until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
6. Step 6: Transfer cooked linguine to the skillet with the sauce. Add reserved pasta water, shrimp, half the parsley, and half the parmesan. Toss gently over low heat for 1-2 minutes until coated and shrimp is warmed through. Adjust seasoning and add red pepper flakes if desired.
7. Step 7: Serve pasta topped with remaining parsley and parmesan. Enjoy immediately while hot.

Tips & Variations

• Use medium to large shrimp that are peeled and deveined for best texture and easy prep.
• If you don’t have white wine, substitute with vegetable or chicken broth plus a tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Swap linguine with spaghetti, fettuccine, or bucatini for different textures.
• Green or black olives can replace kalamata olives; adjust salt accordingly.
• For a vegetarian version, omit shrimp and add mushrooms or artichoke hearts.
• Use Pecorino Romano instead of parmesan for a sharper, saltier flavor.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The shrimp maintains quality best if eaten within the first couple of days. For longer storage, separate shrimp and pasta before refrigerating. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of pasta water or broth to keep the sauce smooth. Microwaving is also possible but add liquid and stir halfway to prevent drying out. Avoid overcooking shrimp during reheating to keep it tender. Freezing is not recommended due to shrimp texture changes.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?

Yes, you can use frozen shrimp as long as it is fully thawed and patted dry before cooking. This helps achieve a nice sear instead of steaming.

What if I don’t have kalamata olives or capers?

You can substitute kalamata olives with other types of olives, such as green or black olives, adjusting salt to taste. Capers can be omitted or replaced with a small amount of chopped pickles for some briny flavor, though the taste will differ slightly.

Garlic Pasta Puttanesca with Shrimp Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 123 reviews

Garlic Pasta Puttanesca with Shrimp is a vibrant Italian dish that combines plump shrimp seared in butter and olive oil with a bold, briny sauce rich in kalamata olives, capers, tomato paste, and white wine. Tossed with perfectly al dente linguine and finished with starchy pasta water, parmesan, and fresh parsley, this recipe delivers a weeknight-friendly yet elegant meal in under an hour.

• Author: Sophie
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Shrimp:

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined, 21–25 count for best size)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp unsalted butter (such as Kerrygold)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

For the Pasta and Sauce:

• 1 lb linguine (Barilla recommended for consistent al dente texture)
• 1/2 cup red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio recommended)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives (pitted and halved)
• 3 tbsp capers
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup reserved starchy pasta water
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Start the Pasta Water and Prepare Mise en Place: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to prepare for cooking the linguine. While waiting, finely dice the red onion, mince the garlic, pit and halve the kalamata olives, measure out capers, chop parsley, grate parmesan, and reserve starchy pasta water to ensure smooth cooking once shrimp searing begins.
2. Sear the Shrimp and Set Aside: Heat olive oil and a teaspoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season shrimp evenly with salt and pepper. Once butter froths, add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until pink and just opaque. Do not overcook. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.
3. Build the Sauce Base with Aromatics and Tomato Paste: In the same skillet, add diced red onion with a pinch of salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook another minute to caramelize and deepen flavor.
4. Deglaze and Reduce the Wine: Pour in dry white wine and scrape up browned bits from the skillet bottom. Add salt and pepper, then simmer uncovered for 4-5 minutes until wine reduces by half, concentrating flavor and cooking off alcohol.
5. Cook the Pasta While Finishing the Sauce: Add kalamata olives, capers, and remaining butter to sauce; stir to melt butter and combine. Simultaneously, cook linguine in boiling water according to package instructions (9-10 minutes) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta water before draining.
6. Emulsify and Finish the Dish: Transfer drained linguine directly into skillet with sauce. Add reserved pasta water, cooked shrimp, half the chopped parsley, and half the grated parmesan. Toss over low heat for 1-2 minutes until pasta is coated and shrimp is heated through. Adjust seasoning as desired and finish with a pinch of red pepper flakes for subtle heat.
7. Plate and Serve: Divide pasta among serving plates or bowls. Garnish with remaining parsley and parmesan. Serve immediately while hot and shrimp remains tender.

Notes

• Use medium to large shrimp (21-25 count per pound) for best texture and size.
• Fully thaw and pat dry frozen shrimp before cooking to ensure a good sear.
• Don’t overcook shrimp; they need only 1-2 minutes per side and will continue cooking slightly after removal.
• Deglaze the pan with white wine to lift flavorful browned bits, adding depth to the sauce.
• Reserve pasta water to emulsify the sauce, improving texture and coating ability.
• Under-cook pasta by a minute as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
• Substitutions can be made with other seafood, pasta varieties, or olives, adjusting salt accordingly.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; separate shrimp and pasta if storing longer.
• Reheat gently with added liquid to avoid overcooking shrimp and drying pasta.

Keywords: pasta puttanesca, shrimp pasta, garlic pasta, Italian dinner, weeknight dinner, seafood pasta, linguine recipe, briny sauce, capers and olives