Shrimp are super quick cooking and can be transformed into the most delicious of meals and Crunchy Shrimp with Lemony Caper Pasta is one terrific weeknight meal.
Crispy shrimp are always a nice splurge, but tend to be deep fried. However, this pasta with shrimp are sauteed in a pan with a crumb coating, which mimic the texture of deep frying without the greasy taste. I prefer large shrimp in this recipe because the surface area is big enough to coat with panko breadcrumbs, which adds the most amazing crunch.
The easy lemon-caper pan sauce is a cinch to prepare and enhances the flavors of both the shrimp and pasta. This simple dish makes dinnertime so tasty.
Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound spaghetti pasta
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pepper
2 egg whites
1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup capers, drained and washed
1/2 cup white wine or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
olive oil
fresh basil, optional
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
1. Boil pasta according to package instructions and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water in a measuring cup for later. Remove shrimp from packaging, rinse and set aside.
2. Beat egg whites until mildly frothy in a bowl. Place breadcrumbs in another bowl and season with onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Dip each shrimp into egg whites and then into breadcrumbs.
3. Add 1/4 cup oil to a large sauté pan and place over medium heat. Allow a couple of minutes for oil to heat, before adding shrimp to pan. Sear shrimp for 2 minutes on each side. Remove shrimp from pan and add 3 tablespoons butter, white wine and juice of half a lemon and continue to cook over medium heat.
4. Let sauce cook for 1 minute and add capers and red pepper flakes. Stir mixture together and let sauce cook for 2 minutes. Add pasta to sauce and toss together with tongs to coat pasta.
5. Add shrimp to pasta in pan and add 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, until sauce reduces slightly, about 3 minutes. Serve pasta with 4-6 shrimp per plate and top with fresh basil. Enjoy!
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