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Shrimp cherry tomato pasta with basil on a plate.

Easy Cherry Tomato Shrimp Pasta with Basil

Kaylie
This garlic butter shrimp pasta with fresh cherry tomato sauce is a delicious and restaurant quality dish. Make this simple and easy meal in just 30 mimutes!
5 from 20 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6 people
Calories 451 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined I use 16/20 count
  • 1 pound spaghetti pasta
  • 10 ounce fresh cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
  • 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced 3 ounces
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 tablespoons butter, sliced into 8 tablespoon sections
  • ½ cup basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • kosher salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Save ½ cup of the pasta water for later use. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large-sized pan over medium high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter, when melted, quickly add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove shrimp and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add the remaining slices of butter. Use tongs or spatula to scrape off the brown shrimp bits into the sauce.
  • Add the shallots and garlic and saute for 5 minutes while scraping the pan to pick up any brown bits into the sauce.
  • Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Use a spoon or tongs to smash or “burst” the tomatoes to release the juices. The tomato sauce should have a nice thickened texture.
  • Add the shrimp back into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then toss in the spaghetti and evenly coat with the sauce. Slowly add pasta water, about tablespoon at a time, and mix into the pasta until the sauce has a nice, creamy texture. 
  • Garnish with fresh basil leaves and optional parmesan cheese.

Notes

*Nutritional facts provided are only an estimate, accuracy is not guaranteed. 
  • Cutting the cherry tomatoes into halves will allow for quicker cooking and will be easier to extract the juices by bursting it. 
  • Do not rinse the pasta, the starch will help thicken the sauce and help it to stick to the pasta.
  • Don’t cook the pasta too far in advance. Add it to a sauce immediately after it’s done cooking to prevent them from drying out and clumping together. 
  • To store, keep the pasta in an airtight container. Keeps well for up to 2 days.
  • To reheat, save some of the pasta water to add to the leftover pasta to help thin out the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 6peopleCalories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 11gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 144mgPotassium: 308mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 803IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
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