Broccoli Shrimp Pasta Toss
After a long day of shopping, an hour's drive home and another hour putting everything away, I needed to fix something for supper in a hurry, relates Natalie van Viegen of Port Alberni, British Columbia. I came up with this tasty dish, and my husband and kids ate every bite.
After a long day of shopping, an hour's drive home and another hour putting everything away, I needed to fix something for supper in a hurry, relates Natalie van Viegen of Port Alberni, British Columbia. I came up with this tasty dish, and my husband and kids ate every bite.
- Carbohydrate 85.8271380752303 g
- Cholesterol 283.598331604331 mg
- Fat 45.1681928692425 g
- Fiber 1.24177301531468 g
- Protein 54.8618103679607 g
- Saturated Fat 26.0076427886282 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (672g)
- Sodium 716.426390663559 mg
- Sugar 84.5853650599156 g
- Trans Fat 3.06948948755675 g
- Calories 963 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter and oil until tender. Add broccoli and salt; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 8 minutes. Add shrimp; cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink and broccoli is tender.
- Drain pasta; transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the broccoli mixture; toss gently. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bright green broccoli florets and opaque pink shrimp coat the surfaces of tender bow tie pasta, bound by melted parmesan and a savory fat emulsion. Cooking this dish efficiently in a compact kitchen requires a broad skillet rather than a deep pot, maximizing the surface area needed to sweat the minced onion and garlic without crowding. When combining the fats, using both olive oil and butter prevents the dairy solids in the butter from burning too quickly under medium-high heat. The aromatic compounds in the garlic and onion dissolve readily into this lipid base, while the sulfur compounds in the broccoli soften as moisture evaporates during the eight-minute saute window.
Proper storage is essential when combining delicate seafood and cooked pasta. Shrimp contains high amounts of water that can release during freezing, leading to a spongy texture upon thawing. To mitigate this, cool the finished dish rapidly on a sheet pan before transferring it to airtight glass containers, which prevent freezer burn better than thin plastic bags. Stored correctly in the refrigerator, the dish keeps for up to three days. Freezing is feasible for up to one month, though the broccoli will lose some of its structural integrity due to cell-wall damage from ice crystal formation.
Restoring the dish from a chilled state requires gentle heat to avoid toughening the shrimp. Microwave heating should be executed at 50 percent power in two-minute increments, stirring frequently to distribute thermal energy evenly through the dense pasta. Alternatively, reheat the mixture in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, covering the pan for three minutes to generate steam that revives the pasta. Adding an extra tablespoon of grated parmesan during the final minute rebuilds the surface sauce as the cheese melts into the residual moisture.
Managing Make-Ahead Prep and Freezer Storage
Proper storage is essential when combining delicate seafood and cooked pasta. Shrimp contains high amounts of water that can release during freezing, leading to a spongy texture upon thawing. To mitigate this, cool the finished dish rapidly on a sheet pan before transferring it to airtight glass containers, which prevent freezer burn better than thin plastic bags. Stored correctly in the refrigerator, the dish keeps for up to three days. Freezing is feasible for up to one month, though the broccoli will lose some of its structural integrity due to cell-wall damage from ice crystal formation.
Reheating Techniques for Optimal Texture
Restoring the dish from a chilled state requires gentle heat to avoid toughening the shrimp. Microwave heating should be executed at 50 percent power in two-minute increments, stirring frequently to distribute thermal energy evenly through the dense pasta. Alternatively, reheat the mixture in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, covering the pan for three minutes to generate steam that revives the pasta. Adding an extra tablespoon of grated parmesan during the final minute rebuilds the surface sauce as the cheese melts into the residual moisture.
