Venetian Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops

You can’t have too many quick and easy crowd pleasing recipes.  And this Venetian Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops is one to definitely have in your arsenal!  

From time to time my girlfriend, Deb, and I gather some friends around the kitchen island and hold a cooking class.  She introduced this recipe to me years ago so I can’t take any credit for creating it.  Naturally, I’ve tweaked it bit.  However, her original recipe or my slightly altered one, never fails to impress.     

If cooking is an adventure, a good recipe is the guide, but YOU are the hero.   Always feel free to change, tweak, alter, add to or subtract from whatever recipe you are using.  Recipes are tools.  Of course, it’s always good to first use the tool the way it originally designed before you go off into unchartered waters.

For the busy cook, the BEST thing about this Venetian Shrimp and Scallop recipe is how easy and fast it is aside from being plate licking delicious.  It’s hardy enough for a family dinner and fancy enough for a dinner party.  Why not surprise your sweetheart and kiddos with it on a Tuesday night?  Put your good shoes on and have your own impromptu family dinner party!  I’ve done that before and the look of terror in Jerry’s eyes when he walks in from work is priceless!  It’s the “Uh oh!!! What have I forgotten?!!!  Is it our anniversary? Do I have to be somewhere?”  It’s a good thing he’s got a great sense of humor.  The kids thought I was a little nuts, but that’s ok. The wig might have been overkill.  ? 

Layers of Flavors

This dish is layered with flavor and texture.  First, the sauce is the foundation and its tomato base has a zing of lemon, deep earthy notes of saffron, and a kick of heat from hot pepper flakes.  

All this sauce surrounds caramelized golden scallops and delicately cooked shrimp.  At the very end, it’s topped with fresh basil and lemon zest.

A Versatile Venetian

The Venetian Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops recipe speaks to almost all of us.  If you are trying to stay low fat, it is just that.  You say you’re a Low Carb-er?  Switch out the pasta for spiraled veggies and you’re there.  Don’t like the hot stuff?  Simply pull back on the pepper flakes or eliminate it entirely.

If you have a seafood allergy, switch out the shrimp and scallops and pop in some sliced chicken breast.  Vegetarian or Vegan?  Skip the meats altogether and use vegetable broth instead of the chicken stock.  The tomato saffron sauce is amazing on it’s own.  

Cook shrimp and add scallops back to sauce

Running low on time?  This is a quick meal you can put together in about 30 minutes!  Unsure of funky leftovers?  Well, first of all, I’d be surprised if you had any left over.  But if you did, partner it up with a fried or better yet a Poached Egg over toast.  Sublime!  

Oh boy… Before I sat down to tell you about this one, I was kind of wondering what I was going to make for dinner tonight.  Problem solved!  It’s going to be Venetian Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops!  Oh yeah!

4.5 from 6 votes

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Venetian Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops

This Venetian Shrimp and Scallop pasta recipe has rich buttery golden crusted scallops, bright lemon zest, delicate shrimp, and a fresh basil.  Pair this with a garden salad and your favorite Sauvignon Blanc and watch happy faces all around the table.

Course main dish, seafood

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 384 kcal

Author Madalaine

Ingredients

• 1 pound sea scallops
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter divided in 1/2
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 large shallot minced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 14 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 12 basil leaves sliced into ribbons
• zest of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper
• 9 ounces fresh pasta fettuccine

Instructions

1. Dry the sea scallops completely and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.  When the oil is hot, add the scallops.  Brown them for 2 minutes on each side.  Remove them from the pan and set aside.
3. Turn the heat down and add the shallots and garlic.  Stir until shallots have softened about 2 minutes.
4. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup flour.  Stir until flour is lightly browned.
5. Add the can of tomatoes, stock, saffron, and wine.  Turn heat up to medium high and stir to deglaze any fond from the bottom of the skillet.
6. When sauce is bubbling, reduce heat to medium low and add shrimp.  Cook until shrimp turn opaque and start to curl in on themselves.
7. Add scallops back to sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Pour over noodles and top with basil and lemon zest.

Pasta

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

2. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the sea, about 2 tablespoons.

3. Add the pasta to boiling water and follow instructions on the package.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Serve over linguine pasta or spiral zucchini noodles.  Nutritional information does not include pasta or zucchini noodles.

Nutrition Facts

Venetian Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops

Amount Per Serving

Calories 384 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 166mg55%

Sodium 855mg37%

Potassium 401mg11%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 436IU9%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 63mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.