Spicy Shrimp and Spaghetti Aglio Olio (Garlic and Oil) Recipe

Aglio olio—spaghetti at its simplest: garlic, olive oil, pasta, and a little heat. But what if we leveled it up with something that packs a flavorful punch without overcomplicating things? Enter Spicy Shrimp and Spaghetti Aglio Olio. The shrimp gets its kick from crushed red pepper and bright citrusy notes from lemon juice and parsley, creating a perfect contrast to the garlicky, anchovy-rich spaghetti. Cooked quickly in a skillet, these juicy bites sit atop the pasta, making every forkful irresistible. Grab some crusty bread because you won’t want to waste a drop of that garlic oil! For a complete meal, serve with Tomato, Onion and Cucumber Salad.

Ingredients

Spicy Shrimp:

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls), chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Aglio Olio:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 tin anchovy fillets (2 ounces)
6-8 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls), finely chopped
Coarse salt
1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente
Crusty bread, as an accompaniment

Directions

Combine all of the spicy shrimp ingredients and toss to coat shrimp evenly.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then add half of the shrimp. Cook shrimp 3 minutes until pink and just firm. Remove shrimp to a warm platter and repeat process with remaining shrimp.

Return pan to stove and reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1/4 cup EVOO, about four turns around the pan, in a light stream. Add anchovies, garlic and pepper flakes to EVOO. Break up anchovies with a wooden spoon until they melt away into the EVOO and garlic mixture.

Toss the spaghetti in the pan with parsley and the garlic oil. Next season with a little coarse salt, to your taste. Top each spaghetti serving with spicy shrimp and serve with crusty bread to soak up the garlic oil.