Simple Shrimp and Garlic Pasta

We all have those days when you feel like you don't have any time for cooking, but you still want to have a delicious dinner. This recipe fits that description perfectly. This pasta is very easy to make. You can use any noodles you have at home. Make sure to use fresh or frozen basil. I sometimes freeze my basil with a little bit of olive oil and it comes in handy for recipes like this. If you don't like shrimp, I've had this plenty of times without any protein. Leftovers heat up pretty well, but the basil will look less appetizing on day 2 (the taste is still great though).

1/2 pound spaghetti
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 quart grape or cherry tomatoes, halved if they are large
1/3 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper, to season
1/2 pound jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti when boiling.

In the meantime, heat the 3 1/2 olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Mix in the tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly. Mix in the basil and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper and set aside or keep on simmer.

While the pasta cooks, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 a tablespoon of olive oil in a non stick pan and cook shrimp over medium high until just done (about 4 to 5 minutes total).

When the pasta is done cooking, combine it with the tomato and garlic mixture and toss in a pan to heat through evenly. Top with shrimp and serve immediately. Try your best to time it so the shrimp finish cooking when the pasta does. Top with Parmesan if desired. Pin It Now!