Light & Creamy Shrimp & Broccoli Pasta

This is light and simple dish that I find myself easily whipping up when we're low on ingredients but are looking for something to satisfy my 'pasta tooth' which I have often. I think this has the light feeling of a scampi but still adds a touch of creaminess (similar to fettucine) without feeling guilty.

This recipe only calls for broccoli but you can add tomatoes (or any other vegetable for that matter) if you're looking for some extra nutrition. It only takes 20 minutes to make and if you're like me, I always think any pasta dish is best served with fresh parmesan at the end. Let's begin.

Serves: 4 servings

Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried pasta, such as fettuccine or linguine (we used linguine)
• 4 cups broccoli, cut into florets
• ½ - 1 pound large raw shrimp, deveined and shells off
• ½ teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish as desired
• 1 pinch red chili flakes (optional)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium-large pot (to boil the pasta), fill with water and generously season with sea salt. Bring to a rolling boil and add dried pasta and cook until al dente (just a little undercooked) and take off heat and set aside (keep in water as we'll use some of this for the dish in a moment).
2. In a medium pan on medium heat, add butter and olive. Once melted, add the shrimp, broccoli, and garlic - stir and cover with lid for about 4-5 minutes until shrimp is lightly cooked and broccoli is partially steamed.
3. Add in chicken broth, Italian seasoning, stir and cover and simmer on medium for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add in heavy cream, freshly grated parmesan, black pepper and red chili flakes to taste (optional) and stir.
5. Using tongs, grab the pasta from the other pot and carefully transfer only the paste to your shrimp/broccoli mixture. When all pasta has been transferred, add a little pasta water to the main pan to lighten and thin out the cream base. This is what gives your dish that fresh restaurant taste and helps prevent the pasta sauce from 'thickening' once plated.
6. Top with freshly grated parmesan and a garnish of fresh parsley.