This shrimp with creamy peas recipe is so unbelievably easy to make and is so fragrant and delicious! You’ll love this easy shrimp dinner recipe!
Over the weekend, I bought the pea lady’s last little bit of peas for the season, They were still quite sweet and I knew I wanted to make a few different recipes with them.
I bought a pound, and I made a great vegan risotto. I wanted to try something with a bit more heat and I wanted to use up the shrimp I had in the freezer. And thus, this idea was born! The components of this recipe are straightforward:
- A creamy, lightly spiced broth with pearl couscous
- Lots of veggies, including peas and spinach
- Buttery, sautéed shrimp
This is such an easy shrimp dinner recipe, and you’ll love how quickly it all comes together.
How to make this shrimp with creamy peas recipe:
You just need a few ingredients and about 30–40 minutes to make it. Here’s what you need:
- Onion
- Pearl couscous
- Tomato pesto or use tomato paste
- Water or vegetable stock
- Fresh or frozen peas
- Baby spinach
- Mascarpone or heavy cream
- Shrimp
- Butter, of course!
For this recipe, I used Pesto Pantesco! This tomato pesto is prepared according to the centuries-old traditions of the tiny volcanic island off the coast of Sicily called Pantelleria! Unlike the green basil pesto of Liguria, this pesto is made with tomatoes and almonds as the base. I only used two teaspoons of it in my recipe, and it was amazing. It added an incredible flavor to the dish
To make it, simply prepare the broth by sautéing the onion until translucent. Add the crushed red pepper and couscous along with the tomato pesto. Next, pour in the broth or water and bring it to a boil. Simmer until the couscous is al dente, about 15 minutes. Once the couscous is tender, add the cream, green peas, and spinach and cook for five minutes more.
During the last five minutes of the broth cooking, heat oil and butter in a skillet and cook the shrimp a few minutes per side until cooked through. Serve it up by ladling the creamy peas between bowls and piling the sautéed shrimp on top. It’s that easy!
Shrimp with Creamy Peas Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¾ cup pearl couscous
- 2 teaspoons Pesto Pantesco or tomato pesto of choice or use tomato paste
- 4 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 4 ounces baby spinach
- ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese or heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Shrimp:
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the shrimp:
- Pat the shrimp dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Transfer to the refrigerator until needed.
Start the broth:
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter. Once the butter is melted and frothy, add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes until softened.
Simmer the couscous:
- Add the crushed red pepper and the couscous to the onion and cook 1 minute until toasted. Add the Pesto Pantesco to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the couscous is al dente.
Finish the couscous:
- Taste the broth and season with salt, pepper, and more crushed red pepper if you like. Increase the heat to medium. Once it begins to bubble, add the peas, spinach, and mascarpone or heavy cream. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-7 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the peas are bright green. Taste and season the broth once more. Turn off the heat.
Sauté the shrimp:
- While the spinach and peas simmer, prepare the shrimp. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over high heat. As soon as the butter melts, add the shrimp in an even layer. Cook without moving for 2–3 minutes or until the edges of the shrimp begin to char slightly. Flip and cook an additional 2–3 minutes or until opaque. Turn off the heat and transfer to a bowl.
To serve:
- Ladle the pearl couscous into shallow bowls and arrange the shrimp on top. Enjoy!
Loved it! It’s very rustic and comforting.
I made this dish last night and it was a hit! I love your recipes but I like super bold flavors so I increased the big flavor items like the tomato pesto and crushed red pepper. It was perfect for using some stuff up as all I needed to buy was the shrimp. Thanks for sharing! 🙂