Blackened lemon shrimp pasta is an easy pasta recipe for any time of the year. The blackened lemon sauce with garlic, oregano, and a little heat from the red pepper flakes, will get your dinner off on the right foot. This is a quick and easy pasta recipe for anytime of year, but it makes a great Lenten dish or a great seafood pasta dish for the holidays. This blackened lemon shrimp pasta is great with any type of pasta too.
Blackening the lemon
Cut your lemon in half. Add the canola oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add lemon halves cut side down. Cook until blackened, around 4 minutes. Check occasionally starting at the 3 minute mark. The lemon will not be burnt but will look caramelized. Once the lemon halves are finished cooking set them aside to add to the dish later.
The shrimp
The shrimp for the blackened lemon shrimp pasta dish need to be raw, deveined, and peeled. Luckily you can purchase them fresh or frozen that way! I usually purchase them frozen at my local grocery store. Place the frozen shrimp in a strainer to thaw. Warm water, not hot, will accelerate the thawing.
Cooking the shrimp and pasta
Cooking the shrimp only takes 4-5 minutes. Place the shrimp on a lined baking sheet. Add olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Use a spoon, spatula, or tongs to coat thoroughly. Cook the shrimp at 350 degrees F for 4-5 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on the shrimp so they do not overcook and become tough. When shrimp are done set aside. Wipe out the pan once it has cooled with a paper towel just to get the oil out. You don’t have to get every drop. Set the pan aside to saute the spices in. Start cooking the pasta now to ensure that it is done when the rest of the ingredients are finished cooking. You can use my fresh pasta recipe!
Sauteing the spices and finishing the dish
Add zest, garlic, red pepper flakes, garlic, and olive oil to the same skillet you blackened the lemons in and saute over a medium heat. Saute for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant. Squeeze the lemon halves and heat for 1-2 minutes more. Next add the shrimp and coat the shrimp with the lemon sauce. To serve, place a serving on a plate and then add the blackened lemon shrimp sauce on top.
Like pasta dishes? Try my easy spinach and artichoke pasta, or my easy pasta bake!
Blackened Lemon Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound of uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper
For the blackened lemons:
- 1 large lemon cut in half zest it before you cut it
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
For the rest of the recipe:
- Zest if the lemon you cut in half for the blackened lemons
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes optional
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced or passed through a garlic press
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/2 pound Pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Add canola oil to a skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add lemon halves cut side down.
- Cook until blackened, around 4 minutes. Check occasionally starting at the 3 minute mark.
- Once blackened, take the lemon halves out of the pan and set aside. When the skillet is cool, wipe it out with a paper towel and set aside to use for sauce.
- Start your pasta according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The pasta can be cooked while the shrimp and spices are cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place shrimp on a parchment lined baking sheet and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Bake for 4-5 minutes or until just pink. Set aside. (Don’t forget about the pasta)
- Add zest, garlic, red pepper flakes, garlic, and olive oil to the same skillet you blackened the lemons in and saute over a medium heat. Saute for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant. Squeeze the lemon halves and heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Once warmed, add the shrimp and coat the shrimp with the sauce.
- To serve, add a serving of cooked pasta to a plate and spoon shrimp mixture over the pasta.
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