Paula Deen Lemony Shrimp and Caper Pasta

Paula Deen Lemony Shrimp and Caper Pasta turns shrimp, angel hair, white wine and capers into a silky, buttery lemon pasta main course in 30 minutes. It's an easy shrimp pasta dinner for busy weeknights, date night, Sunday supper or the holiday table, and it's a one-pot recipe.

Let the broth, wine and lemon juice cook down by half before any butter goes in, because that reduction is where all the flavor comes from. Skip it and the sauce turns thin and watery instead of coating the pasta.

Paula breaks the angel hair in half and cooks it right in the sauce, so the noodles soak up the lemon and wine as they soften. Because the shrimp go in a minute before the pasta and stay in the covered pot, they come out pink and tender instead of rubbery.

Paula Deen Lemony Shrimp and Caper Pasta

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

640

kcal

Angel hair cooks right in a buttery lemon and white wine sauce, so every strand turns silky and tangy. Briny capers and plump pink shrimp finish it in a single pot.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon Butter, divided
  

• ¾ cup chopped onion
  

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  

• 1½ cups chicken broth
  

• 1 cup dry white wine
  

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  

• 1½ pounds peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp
  

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  

• ½ (16-ounce) package angel hair pasta, broken in half
  

Directions

• Soften the onion: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until the onion is tender.
• Reduce the sauce base: Stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup dry white wine and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Let it cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
• Melt in the butter: Stir in the remaining 1 cup butter until it melts completely into the liquid. That gives you a rich, glossy sauce to cook everything else in.
• Add shrimp and capers: Stir in 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp and 2 tablespoons drained capers. Cook for 1 minute so the shrimp start to turn pink.
• Cook the pasta: Stir in the angel hair pasta that has been broken in half, then cover the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the shrimp are pink and firm.
• Serve right away: Spoon the pasta into bowls while it's hot and the sauce is still silky. Angel hair keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, so don't wait.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, OXO wooden spoon set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use something other than white wine?

Extra chicken broth works if you'd rather skip the wine, though the sauce will taste a little less bright. Add another splash of lemon juice to make up for the acidity the wine would have brought.

Do leftovers keep well?

Angel hair soaks up the sauce as it sits, so this pasta is best eaten right away. If you do have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for a day and add a splash of broth when reheating gently on the stove.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, as long as they're fully thawed and patted dry before they go in the pot. Wet shrimp water down the sauce and can cook unevenly.

Can I use regular spaghetti instead of angel hair?

Spaghetti is thicker and will need more time and more liquid than this recipe gives it. Angel hair is what makes the one-pot method work, so stick with it.

How do I keep the shrimp from getting tough?

Only cook them for the 1 minute and then the 6 to 8 minutes covered with the pasta, no longer. Pull the pot off the heat as soon as the shrimp are pink and firm.