Shrimp and Broccoli Pasta
Creamy broccoli shrimp pasta is easy to make, ready in 20 minutes and perfect for weeknight meals or entertaining. This healthy dairy free shrimp pasta has a creamy lemon pasta sauce made with cashews.
Servings 4
Calories 641kcal
Ingredients
- 12 oz fettucine noodles gluten free
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley optional
Creamy Lemon Pasta Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 medium lemons, juiced
- 1.25 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Add water to a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- While the water is coming to a boil, chop the broccoli into small bite size pieces.
- Add the cashews to a bowl or a glass. Once the water has come to a boil, remove about 1 cup of the boiling water to the cashews (I use a ladle or a glass measuring cup to do this).
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and set a timer for 3 minutes less than the lowest time indicated on the box (example if the box says 11-13 minutes, set a time for 8 minutes).
- After 5 minutes, drain the cashews. Add the lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, water and drained cashews to the blender. Blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth.
- Once the timer for the pasta has gone off, take 1 cup of the pasta water from the pot (use a ladle or glass measuring cup). Add the broccoli florets to the pot with the pasta and cook for 2 minutes.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat (2-3 minutes).
- Drain the pasta and broccoli and add it back to the pot. Turn off the heat (remove the pot from the heat) and add the lemon cashew pasta sauce. Stir well.
- Once the skillet is preheated, add the olive oil and shrimp. Cook 2-3 minutes, flip and cook 1-2 more minutes.
- Add the cooked shrimp to the pasta and stir well. Add chopped flat leaf parsley.
Notes
Top tips
- Chop the broccoli into very small, bite size pieces. This helps it cook quickly and also ensures that the pasta is easy to eat!
- Be sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before adding the broccoli. This helps keep the sauce from tasting too “broccoli” forward.
- Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the lowest number on the box. This ensures it won't overcook as you are getting the sauce to the perfect consistency.
- Soak the cashews in boiling water 5 minutes. This helps ensure the sauce gets super creamy.
- If you are serving this for company and really want to make a big impression, double the shrimp. This will make the entire dish look more impressive and also help make it more filling.
- Lemon zest (about 1/2 a lemon)
- Red pepper flakes
- Cheese - add some parmesan or cream cheese (regular or dairy free).
- Fresh garlic – 2-3 cloves of finely chopped garlic cooked with the shrimp.
Nutrition
Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g
