Pasta Pomodoro with Shrimp
Pasta Pomodoro with Shrimp is the perfect easy pasta dinner recipe. This dish comes together with just 7 simple ingredients and is on your table in 30 minutes or less. Made with shrimp, angel hair pasta, parmesan cheese, ripe tomatoes and basil, it tastes totally fresh, and is perfect for date night or family dinner!
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My family can’t get enough of this classic Italian favorite, Pasta Pomodoro! We often say that we could survive eating this everyday! ? Fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil make this a perfect last minute dish because it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare this meal.
We love this served with shrimp, but we also enjoy mixing it up and substituting chicken or veggies for the shrimp. Feel free to use whatever it is that you are in the mood for and have available in your kitchen. Add some parmesan cheese and fresh basil, then serve and wait for the rave reviews to start rolling in!
I had a big can of crushed tomatoes to use up so I drained and used that instead, and it was wonderful! We are it under fluffy mounds of cheese and a pinch of finishing salt. Absolutely will be making this again!
— Aja
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick & easy. This meal is SO easy to make. It can be ready in just 30 minutes between cooking the pasta, sauce, and shrimp, and tossing them all together.
- Super flavorful. You will love the fresh flavors in this spaghetti recipe! So tasty and just like something you might order from a fancy Italian restaurant.
- Light & healthy. There’s no need to use heavy cream, butter or much oil to make this dish. To make this even healthier, you may use lentil pasta, or for a low-carb, low calorie option, substitute all or some of the pasta with zucchini noodles.
- Protein-packed & nutritious. Shrimp is a lean protein that’s low in calories and high in protein and other nutrients. It’s a good source of iodine, selenium, iron, and B12, which are not commonly found in many other foods.
Ingredients needed
This classic Italian dish is simple and straightforward. Here’s what you’ll be needing:
- Shrimp. Shrimp cooks up so quickly which makes this a great option for busy weeknights. If you can’t buy fresh shrimp in your area, purchase frozen raw shrimp and thaw it by placing in a bowl of running water for a few minutes.
- Extra virgin olive oil. A little bit of fat goes a long way in this sauce.
- Fresh tomatoes. If you can get your hands on fresh garden tomatoes or some from a farmer’s market, they will give this sauce amazing flavor. However, if tomatoes are not in season, try canned, crushed San Marzano tomatoes.
- Garlic. I love the delicious garlic flavor in this sauce. You can use finely minced or pressed garlic. And I highly recommend using fresh garlic, rather than the jarred kind.
- Basil. Fresh basil leaves are a must!
- Angel hair pasta. We love to use thin, angel hair spaghetti as our pasta of choice for this meal, but any type of noodles will work.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated parmesan cheese will have the best flavor! You can find the highest quality blocks of Parmesan cheese in the speciality cheese area in most grocery stores.
- Salt & pepper. Once the sauce is cooked, taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Variations
This pasta meal is delicious as-is, but feel free to change things up to customize it to your family’s preferences and what you have available. Here’s some ideas:
- Pasta. Pasta Pomodoro usually uses long spaghetti, like angel hair pasta. You can use any pasta shape you like, though. Rigatoni, rotini or penne pasta would all be great choices.
- Protein. Instead of using shrimp, try this with chicken, meatballs or Italian sausage.
- Vegetables. Instead of or in addition to an added protein, add sautéed veggies such as mushrooms, zucchini, artichokes or eggplant.
Pasta Pomodoro with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp , deveined, peeled and tails removed
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 4-5 large tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces (if using smaller tomatoes such as Roma increase to 6-7)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more to garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 12-16 ounces angel hair pasta* (or other long pasta)
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
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Instructions
- In a large pot, add water and bring to a boil while you are chopping the tomatoes. Don’t add the angel hair pasta yet, it cooks quickly (usually 3-4 minutes) so you will want to add it to the boiling water after you start cooking the tomatoes.
- In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook shrimp until it has turned pink, about 1 – 2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
- Drain any liquid from the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is hot, add chopped tomatoes, then salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes and then add chopped garlic. Cook 2 – 3 minutes more and until the tomatoes get soft and garlic is fragrant.
- Add angel hair pasta to the boiling water and cook per box instructions (typically 3-4 minutes).
- While the pasta is cooking, put the shrimp back into the skillet, add the freshly chopped basil and a small amount of olive oil to taste (1-2 tsp is what I use). Stirring well to combine and bring out the flavor of the basil. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, if you like a little kick of heat.
- Drain pasta (reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water). Add pasta into the skillet to combine with the tomatoes, shrimp and basil. Stir to fully combined. If you want the sauce to be more moist, add some of the pasta water, as desired.
- Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil and enjoy!
Notes
- Storing leftovers. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. To reheat the pasta, add it to the stove with a splash of olive oil or broth and heat until warm.
- Freezing. This sauce can be frozen! You can make a large batch and put it into freezer safe containers or baggies and freeze for 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?
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How to make this recipe
Making homemade pasta Pomodoro honestly couldn’t be easier! Here’s a quick rundown of the process, but for full instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1: Cook the shrimp. Boil water for pasta. Meanwhile, sauté shrimp in a large skillet with olive oil until pink, about 1–2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Make the sauce. In the same skillet, add more olive oil, chopped tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in garlic and cook 2–3 minutes more until softened and fragrant.
Step 3: Boil pasta & finish the skillet. Cook angel hair pasta until al dente (about 3–4 minutes). While it boils, return shrimp to the skillet with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Combine & serve. Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing everything together. Thin the sauce with reserved pasta water if needed. Top with fresh basil and parmesan before serving.
Helpful tips
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Skip the pre-grated stuff! It’s often coated with anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. Freshly grated, high-quality Parmesan (look near the specialty cheese counter!) melts like a dream and adds unbeatable flavor to your pasta.
- Swap in canned tomatoes if needed. No fresh tomatoes? No problem. A 28-ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes works beautifully, just give them a quick blitz in a blender or food processor before using.
- Add a little heat. If you like a subtle kick, stir in about ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes when making the sauce. It adds just the right amount of spice without overpowering the dish.
- Watch your shrimp! Shrimp cooks fast, just 1–2 minutes per side. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook and turn rubbery.
- Don’t clean the pan. After removing the shrimp, you’ll notice flavorful browned bits left behind. Leave them! They add delicious depth and richness to your tomato sauce.
Frequently asked questions
“Pomodoro” means “tomato” in Italian, and that’s exactly what this is — a fresh tomato sauce served over angel hair pasta. Pomodoro sauce is simple and light. The tomato-based pasta sauce is made from a combination of fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. Since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, you’ll want to use only the best quality ingredients for amazing taste. I highly suggest tomatoes from a garden or farmer’s market, fresh basil and a high quality parmesan cheese.
The ingredients for Pomodoro sauce and marinara sauce are typically about the same. However, the consistency is different. Pomodoro is thick and smooth and marinara is runnier and chunky. If you’re looking for a tasty marinara sauce, be sure to check out my homemade marinara sauce.
Bolognese means “meat sauce,” so for this sauce, the meat is the center focus. For a Pomodoro sauce, the tomatoes are the star. So the main difference between them is that the bolognese has meat and the Pomodoro doesn’t. In this particular recipe, we’re adding shrimp, but traditionally Pomodoro is meatless.
Serving suggestions
This pasta dish is great on it’s own, but you can also serve it with a variety of side dishes! We love it served with a fresh Italian salad or a Caesar salad. You could also whip up a simple green salad. Simply, toss mixed greens with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Feel free to add toppings to your salad such as red onion, cherry tomatoes, and croutons. Just don’t forget the crusty garlic bread and glass of wine!
Storage recommendations
- Storing leftovers. Transfer the leftover pasta Pomodoro to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. To reheat the pasta, add it to the stove with a splash of olive oil or broth and heat until warm.
- Freezing. This sauce can be frozen! If you are someone who likes to meal prep, you can make a large batch and put it into freezer safe containers or baggies and freeze for 3 months. Be sure the sauce has completely cooled before sealing the container.
More Italian dishes to try
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Very tasty recipe! Comes together easily and quickly if you have all the elements prepped. I used grape tomatoes from my garden, cut in half, instead of the larger tomatoes. I also added a 1/2 teaspoon of dry thyme, otherwise I followed the recipe. My sauce didn’t need the pasta water as the tomatoes provided plenty of moisture. Kim, thanks for sharing your recipe.
So happy you enjoyed!
Loved it! This was easy and so tasty!
Great flavors in a simple dish that my whole family loved. The shrimp was a great addition but I could see having this without a protein as well.
Now this is one restaurant-worthy fancy date night kinda pasta dinner! My whole family thoroughly enjoyed this!
I love that this dish looks elegant, but is so easy. We loved the flavors too!
My daughter and I love shrimp and this hit the spot! So delicious!
This is such a delicious dish! Shrimp is my favorite thing to add to pasta for a quick and healthy protein. And this turned out so flavorful, it was super easy to make too!
All this fresh taste in 30 minutes! Thank you, it is delicious!
Thank you for such an easy and delicious dinner option. The kids are already asking when I’m making it again.
This recipe is a new favorite! I loved how quick and easy it was to make and tasted incredible!
So easy and super delicious! Love it that it’s loaded with shrimp too…so much flavor! Thanks for sharing 😉
I had a big can of crushed tomatoes to use up so I drained and used that instead, and it was wonderful! We are it under fluffy mounds of cheese and a pinch of finishing salt. Absolutely will be making this again!
That sounds fabulous! So glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for taking time to comment!
We made this for dinner, and it was absolutely delicious! Great flavours!
Paired this with a glass of white wine and it was amazing. My husband loved it too. I’ll definitely make it again!