Shrimp and Scallop Pasta with Lemon

Ever since my honeymoon in Italy eight years ago I’ve been obsessed with all things lemon. We spent an amazing four days on the Amalfi coast during our two week whirlwind tour and it was heaven. One of the incredible things we saw while in Amalfi were the beautiful lemon orchards the area is renowned for. Everything is lemon in Amalfi. From the granita to the incredible limoncello, beautiful, tart lemons are everywhere. Before going to Italy I enjoyed the occasional lemon dessert or drink, but I never really appreciated how beautifully versatile these amazing fruit could truly be. Now that I’ve discovered how amazing lemons are, it’s all I can do not to use them in everything. This delicious Shrimp and Scallop Pasta makes lemon the star, and I’m sure once you try this dish you’ll be in love with it too.

This light and flavourful pasta dish is a true contradiction. It’s rich and creamy without having any cream. It has a tangy sharpness from garlic and lemon without any cheese. It has a rich and flavourful sauce, without really having any sauce at all. The savoury garlicky shrimp and scallops are beautifully complimented by the tangy lemon, creamy butter, and fresh parsley, while the pasta water brings it all together. It doesn’t get any better than this.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 2 minutes
• Cooking Time – 23 minutes
• Total Time – 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR SHRIMP AND SCALLOP PASTA WITH LEMON

All the ingredients for this Shrimp and Scallop Pasta Recipe are easy to source from any local grocer.

• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp Salted butter
• 10 cloves Garlic
• 2 Lemons
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley
• 400 grams Shrimp
• 400 grams Scallops
• 1 box Spaghetti (~500g)
• 1/2 cup Pasta water, reserved

CAN I MAKE THIS DAIRY FREE?

I wouldn’t recommend making this without butter. This delicious pasta has no sauce per se: the butter is what gives it some creamy richness. However if it’s necessary for dietary reasons, you could make this entirely with good quality olive oil. It would still taste delicious, it would just be lighter and less creamy.

CAN I USE FROZEN SEAFOOD?

You can definitely use frozen seafood in this dish. Simply make sure that you buy good quality seafood and defrost it fully before cooking. If you try to cook seafood that’s partially frozen, you run the risk of overcooking the outside while having raw seafood inside. Thaw your shrimp and scallops in the fridge or under cold running water before using them.

CAN I SERVE THIS WITH RICE?

I wouldn’t recommend cooking this recipe with rice. The pasta water that is added near the end of this recipe transforms it from seafood with pasta, to seafood pasta with a silky lemony sauce. That same transformation can’t be accomplished with cooked rice.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT PASTA IN THIS MEAL?

Absolutely. This meal would taste delicious with any type of pasta, but I like the idea of the silky lemony sauce clinging to long strands of spaghetti. I would recommend any long pasta such as linguine, bucatini, or fettucine as a substitute, however you could use whatever kind of pasta you prefer.

CAN I USE PREPACKAGED LEMON JUICE INSTEAD OF WHOLE LEMONS?

Prepackaged lemon juice can be used in some meals without any ill effect: this is not one of those meals. Lemon juice is the star of this beautiful meal, so you absolutely need to use freshly squeezed lemons in this pasta.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF SEAFOOD?

Scallops and shrimp are favourites in our house which is why I keep them vacuum packed in my freezer at all times. They work beautifully in this meal, and I strongly recommend you don’t substitute anything with them. However, if you really want you could make this meal with crab or lobster.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER LEAFY GREEN FOR PARSLEY?

Parsley adds a bitter sharpness to this dish which beautifully compliments the creaminess from the butter, and the tang from the lemon. I wouldn’t suggest omitting it entirely. I would substitute it for another bitter herb like cilantro. Cilantro itself has a citrusy undertone which works well in this dish as a substitute for parsley.

EQUIPMENT FOR SHRIMP AND SCALLOP PASTA RECIPE

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make this delicious Shrimp and Scallop Pasta:

• Braising Pan – My most used pan by far is my Le Creuset Braising Pan. It is made of heavy cast iron and coated in ceramic as all Le Creuset cast iron pans are. It’s large and deep which makes it perfect for everything from frying to making sauces. I can’t recommend it enough.

• Tongs

• Kitchen Knife – Zwilling J.A. Henkel Kitchen Knife a good kitchen knife is a necessary tool for any home cook. Quality and price point varies widely. This is what I use at home. It’s a perfectly decent knife, while still being very affordable.

• Cutting Board

COOKING DIRECTIONS

This Shrimp and Scallop Pasta can be prepared within 25 minutes. It is as simple to prepare as it is delicious, provided you follow a few rules:

1. Use extremely fresh seafood.
2. Be very careful not to overcook your shrimp and scallops.
3. Always use freshly squeezed lemon.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

I would not recommend making any ingredients in advance for this Shrimp and Scallop Pasta Recipe.

This beautiful pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to three days, but I would not recommend freezing any leftovers as cooked seafood does not reheat well.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy your amazing Shrimp and Scallop Pasta with Lemon!

OTHER SEAFOOD DISHES

Creamy Avocado Pasta with Garlic Shrimp

Lobster Chowder with Shrimp, Scallop and Salmon

OTHER PASTA DISHES

Easy Parmesan Meatballs with Spaghetti

Fettuccine Carbonara

Quick Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta

Delicious Breaded Chicken Pasta

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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