Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp

This Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp is a perfect weeknight dinner. Make this for a delicious dinner for the whole family.

I share about and partner with only the most fabulous brands, including Celtic Sea Salt. While I am a partner, this post is not sponsored. I’m simply sharing my love of the product in this recipe.

A Note from Teri on Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp

This broccoli pasta dish is one of those recipes that you will absolutely fall in love with. As you know, Roy is pretty much a pasta genius, and he makes this dish on a biweekly basis. It’s a simple recipe, but it does require some finesse to make sure you have the timing right on all of your ingredients. It’s a great dish to have in your arsenal, because it gives you so many tools and techniques that are really the cornerstone of cooking with confidence.

Of course, it all begins with salting your pasta water with Celtic Sea Salt. This is going to immediately take your dish to a whole new level. From there, you want to be sure to cook your broccoli but avoid taking it too far. The goal is a beautifully crisp yet tender texture. Then when you cook the shrimp, you want to be sure you move quickly to avoid overcooking. Everything happens rather quickly, and the result is an absolutely luscious pasta dish.

Why Should You Use Celtic Sea Salt?

The Celtic Sea Salt is a game changer in the kitchen, and especially in a pasta dish like this. By salting your pasta water, you are flavoring your noodles from the inside out. Then, you can use that pasta water to create a simple and beautiful sauce that doesn’t require tons of added ingredients. It’s basically it’s own magic elixir.

I especially love this Celtic Sea Salt for the flavor itself. All salt is not created equal, and this salt is quite frankly superior. Delicious food starts with high quality ingredients, and that includes your salt! This salt flavors food with over 80+ trace minerals and elements, which means you are getting better flavor and you don’t need to use as much salt to get that amazing taste. Once you try it, you won’t want to use any other salt!

Ingredients

• Celtic Sea Salt (for pasta water and seasoning)
• Broccoli, or 1 ½ pounds 
• Olive oil
• Bowtie or penne pasta
• Garlic, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Frozen peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
• Softened butter
• Parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flakes
• Lemon

To make this dish vegetarian, you can certainly omit the shrimp from the recipe. If you would like to substitute chicken, you could add shredded everyday roasted chicken at the end when tossing your dish together.

How to Make Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp

Step One: Blanch the Broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount Celtic Sea Salt, about 2 tablespoons. Place the whole broccoli heads stem-side down in the boiling water for 45 seconds. Turn the broccoli over and blanch another 15 seconds until bright green and still crisp. Turn off the heat and remove with tongs or a slotted spoon to an ice bath then drain in a colander. 

Teri tip: Roy suggests spinning the broccoli in a salad spinner but I have drained and patted it dry with clean kitchen towels as well. It’s important to get the broccoli as dry as possible so that it cooks properly. 

Pull the florets off of the broccoli heads then cut the florets off of the stems they came off with.  Slice the stems thinly, keeping them separate so you have a pile of chopped stems and another pile of florets. If any of the florets are too large, cut them into smaller, one-inch pieces.  

Step Two: Cook Pasta, Broccoli and Shrimp

Bring  the broccoli-blanching water back up to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. When the pasta has about 8 minutes left to cook, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the garlic slices and cook for 20-30 seconds. Add the broccoli stems, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 4 minutes. Using a large spoon, remove the garlic and stems and set aside on a plate or bowl.  Add a little more olive oil, if needed, and the broccoli florets to the Dutch oven. Cook for about 1 minute.

When the pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of pasta water. If  your pasta isn’t ready, turn off the heat on the broccoli florets and wait for the pasta to finish. Turn the heat back on the Dutch oven as the pasta is just about done. 

Add the shrimp to the Dutch oven with the florets and toss, allowing the shrimp to cook for one minute. Next, using a slotted spoon, transfer the hot pasta directly into the pot with the broccoli and shrimp. Add the sauteed garlic and broccoli stems and give everything a good toss.

Step Three: Assemble Pasta

Add 2 tablespoons of softened butter and a couple tablespoons of reserved pasta water to the pan. Turn off the heat and stir in a handful of Parmesan cheese. Gradually add more pasta water and Parmesan as needed, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy, and the shrimp are cooked through. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes and adjust seasoning to taste. Finish with a squeeze of lemon then serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper. 

Try These Other Pasta Recipes!

• Corn Pasta Recipe with Sausage
• Herby Pasta Salad with California Ripe Olives
• Light and Easy Summer Pasta
• Roy’s Mangia: a delicious sausage and tomato pasta

If you make your own Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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