Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Marinara

My kids seem to love shrimp lately so I decided to make another dish using them.  I marinated the shrimp in olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil for a few hours while I simmered a simple and spicy basil marinara.  I served the sauce over whole wheat penned then topped the dish with pan grilled shrimp.  I really loved this dish.  The shrimp were very  flavorful and perfectly cooked. The sauce wasn’t so spicy that the kids couldn’t eat it but had just enough kick to it.   We all, especially my son, loved this dish.

Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp if needed.  Place them in a large zip lock bag. Combine the olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, finely minced garlic, and finely chopped basil together until well combined.  Pour over the shrimp then seal the bag and shake and gently squish the bag until the shrimp are evenly coated.  Place into the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinate for 3-4 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat.   Add the diced onion, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes then cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.   Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender.  Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture.  Add sugar, sea salt,  and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Cover with a lid, reduce to low, and simmer for 3-4 hours if possible, stirring occasionally.   Once the sauce has simmered and you are ready to serve it, taste and re-season if needed.  Add the fresh basil and mix until evenly combined.  Set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water per instructions. Drain.

About 5 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking; heat a large grill pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then flip them and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.

Dish up the cooked pasta into a serving bowl then top with spicy basil marinara and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil then serve immediately.  Enjoy.

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Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Marinara

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 3-4 hours

Total Time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1 lb of shrimp
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp of fresh basil, finely chopped

Spicy Basil Marinara:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more if desired
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, pureed
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
2-3 tsp sugar, optional
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp if needed. Place them in a large zip lock bag. Combine the olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, finely minced garlic, and finely chopped basil together until well combined. Pour over the shrimp then seal the bag and shake and gently squish the bag until the shrimp are evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinate for 3-4 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes then cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture. Add sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover with a lid, reduce to low, and simmer for 3-4 hours if possible, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has simmered and you are ready to serve it, taste and re-season if needed. Add the fresh basil and mix until evenly combined. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water per instructions. Drain.

About 5 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking; heat a large grill pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then flip them and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Dish up the cooked pasta into a serving bowl then top with spicy basil marinara and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil then serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

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