blackened shrimp caesar pasta
Hot pasta tossed with a rich tahini Caesar dressing, capped off with luscious and buttery blackened shrimp.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta of choice (I prefer a long cut)
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, lightly packed
- 1/3 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 lb large or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp salted butter, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving one cup of the starchy pasta water. Add back to the hot pot.
- While the water boils, make the dressing. In a food processor, combine the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste, dijon mustard, basil, parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Taste for seasoning.
- Toss the hot pasta with the dressing, thinning out the sauce with the pasta water as needed if it thickens up too much. I used about 1/4 cup, but you may need more or less.
- Dry the shrimp well. In a large bowl, toss with the smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Working in batches as needed, add the shrimp and sear for 2 minutes. Turn the shrimp and toss in the butter slices. Cook 2-3 minutes longer until the butter browns and the shrimp turns a rich golden color. Move to a plate.
- Divide the pasta and shrimp into bowls and top with parmesan and fresh herbs, as desired.
Notes
*To store: Pasta and shrimp keep well, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pasta may dry out a bit so when reheating, rehydrate with a tablespoon or two of water or broth.
*Tahini: I find that cashew butter is the nicest substitute for tahini if needed!