A quick and easy weeknight meal is always desired, and this shrimp and sausage pasta sauce fills that criteria!
I have mentioned before that I do not cook with seafood very often. I would say I have probably cooked salmon once, and when it comes to shrimp, it is the frozen pre-cooked variety. It is not like I am scared to cook it, but I do worry about messing up the dish so bad that the fish/crab/lobster becomes inedible and a waste of money. Plus, in the past it was only my husband who ate seafood so making a huge amount seemed futile. Now that I know my daughter loves seafood I am more inclined to learn and experiment!
Of course, this shrimp and sausage pasta sauce is my usual route using frozen pre-cooked shrimp, but I mean, I need to start somewhere 🙂 This recipe actually came to mind when I completed my jambalaya and realized I had some extra sausage laying around. Pasta is my go-to when I am in a rush and don't feel like standing in the kitchen forever. Now with school upon us I feel hearty pasta dishes are great for dinner, but perfect as leftovers for lunch the next day. Easily customize it to suit your family's likes (there is always that one person who does not like a certain vegetable!)
I just realized as I type this that I completely overlooked the whole brown butter aspect to this shrimp and sausage pasta sauce. Brown butter is such a powerful ingredient in cooking, and it is super easy to make! You can make it a day in advance to save time, but I just used it straight from the pot for this meal. This is a great tutorial here, but I have also used brown butter in lemon curd, which can be seen here. If you really do not feel comfortable making brown butter, you can use plain butter, but trust me, brown butter is out of this world! It adds so much! I tend to make it with salted butter and it really brings out the saltiness (not necessary a bad thing.) If you are concerned, go with unsalted butter and add salt accordingly.
📖 Recipe
Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
On a busy work night you want something easy, and this shrimp and sausage pasta sauce is exactly that! Hearty and delicious, you will sure to have leftovers.
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown butter or regular butter (see note in recipe.)
- 1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 6 sausages, sliced
- 2 cups frozen shrimp
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- Salt and pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- *You can use regular butter, but I find brown butter so much more refined! Read the tutorial link in post before attempting brown butter, trust me!
- Melt ½ cup of REGULAR butter in pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the color begins to change. The deeper the color, the nuttier the taste. However, do not go too far or you will burn your butter!
- When the color is nice and light amber but still has some time left to cook, add sausage, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook until sausage is just browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute or aromatic. Stir in pepper, parsley, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through. Add in frozen shrimp and cook for 5 more minutes or until heated through.
- Serve over pasta and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired!
- **You can use leftover brown butter you have but I would suggest frying the sausage and onion in ordinary, unbrowned butter so you do not burn it.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 658Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 284mgSodium: 1813mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 30g
I am the big pasta lover in the house, while I find Mr. TCW is the rice eater. However, as of late he has been requesting more pasta recipes so maybe I have brought him over to the dark side! Rice dishes are super easy meals as well, but pasta just seems like the crowd-pleaser. Whether it is a simple sauce, or a cream-based, or even maybe even tomato-based, pasta meals will forever have a home in our household!
The-FoodTrotter
Those pasta look so delicious! I love the combination between pork and seafoods 🙂
Kacey
It is a great combination (like a classic jambalaya!)
Alisa Fleming
Wow Kacey, this looks so warm and comforting for the fall. I love the way you gave it a little jambalaya vibe with the sausage and shrimp together. I don't see this often in pasta.
Kacey
Thanks, Alisa! It definitely was inspired from my jambalaya recipe 🙂
Manila Spoon (Abby)
I have never tried sausages with shrimps and this looks like a winner to me! Pinning to try this as my family is big on both shrimps and sausages - looks so goooooood!!!
Kacey
They just work together! You will be amazed!
Maryanne @ the little epicurean
I, too, am a little afraid of cooking seafood. I fear messing up and wasting the ingredients. This looks fabulous! Love the shrimp and sausage combo!
Kacey
That is exactly it. Seafood is quite pricey and I would hate to destroy any ingredient!
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy
This looks so flavorful and comforting, perfect for the fall. In fact, i have a similar sausage & shrimp recipe, and it's one of my favorite go to dinners in the fall. Pinning!
Kacey
Ohhh! I will have to check yours out! Can never have enough of these comfort recipes 🙂
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet
This sounds so yummy! The perfect comfort food!
Kacey
Thanks, Kimberly!
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen)
Wait a minute. I think think I may need a moment here. This looks A-MAZ-ING. In fact, I was planning on a shrimp dish of some sort this week, and I think I just found my inspiration. Fabulous combo!
Kacey
Haha, I cannot wait to see what you come up with!
Nutmeg Nanny
What an amazing looking pasta dish! It looks super hearty (perfect for this cool weather!) and packed full of deliciousness. I think even the addition of scallops would be delicious....yum!
Kacey
I would love to try cooking scallops (and hope I don't have Gordon Ramsey yelling behind me!)
Jenny B | Honey and Birch
I can't wait to try this - I am such a huge fan of brown butter. It sounds fantastic! I'm allergic to shrimp; I was thinking of just adding more sausage. Do you think that will work?
Kacey
For sure, Jenny! I love when people make my recipes their own (and I agree, brown butter is amazing!)
Maris (In Good Taste)
Looks delicious! Love pasta dishes with shrimp.
Kacey
It really brightens up the pasta.
Katerina @ Diethood
Umm. YUM! I'll have seafood at your house any day!! The combo of shrimp with sausage sounds absolutely amazing!
Kacey
Haha, well it does not happen often, but when it does, it seems to work 🙂
Marilyn
Tried it today with while basmati rice with green onion instead of pasta . It was
Delicious and I'm sure on noodles it would be delicious too.
I used red and green pepper ,onIon,garlic and fresh basil...yum
Kacey
I am so happy to hear this!! Rice or pasta work great here (but I am definitely a pasta-lover!)
Kathryn Johnson
The Shrimp and Sausage Pasta was dinner tonight! It was so easy to fix and was really good.I tried the brown butter and was cautious not to burn it! Yes, it was great. I used fully cooked Kielbasa sausage, less grease and I had it on hand. Thanks for a wonderful no fuss dinner and so enjoyable!!
Kacey
You have just reminded me I so need to make this again for my family! Glad you enjoyed and that the butter turned out!