Shrimp Scampi with Peppers and Spinach: Your Ultimate 30-Minute Seafood Meal
Craving a delightful seafood dinner that’s both elegant and incredibly simple to prepare? Look no further than this exquisite Shrimp Scampi with Peppers and Spinach. This vibrant dish combines succulent garlic butter shrimp with delicate angel hair pasta and a medley of fresh, sautéed vegetables, all coming together in under 30 minutes. It’s the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you desire a gourmet experience without the hassle.
This post is sponsored by Gorton’s Seafood.
We are thrilled to partner with Gorton’s Seafood to bring you an innovative way to enjoy classic shrimp scampi. Featuring their convenient Simply Bake Shrimp Classic Scampi, this recipe eliminates the need for dealing with raw shrimp, making your cooking process cleaner and more enjoyable. Simply pair Gorton’s perfectly seasoned shrimp with a quick-cooking angel hair pasta, and a colorful sauté of garlic, fresh spinach, and sweet bell peppers for a balanced and flavorful meal any day of the week.
Effortless Elegance: Why Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp Scampi is a Game-Changer
This incredibly flavorful shrimp scampi recipe owes its ease and speed to Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp Classic Scampi. Forget the tedious tasks of peeling and deveining raw shrimp; Gorton’s takes care of that for you. The shrimp come pre-packed in a special oven-safe bag, infused with a rich garlic Parmesan buttery sauce. All you need to do is place the bag directly into your oven, and let the magic happen. The sealed bag not only locks in all the incredible flavors but also ensures the shrimp cook perfectly every time, resulting in tender, juicy, and irresistibly seasoned seafood.
Gorton’s is committed to providing wild-caught, sustainably sourced seafood, ensuring you’re serving a high-quality meal to your family. Their Simply Bake Shrimp Classic Scampi allows you to recreate a restaurant-quality dish in your own kitchen with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Each package contains two individual oven bags, offering convenient portion control whether you’re cooking for one, two, or a larger family. While the shrimp bakes, you have ample time to prepare your pasta and sauté the fresh vegetables, streamlining the entire cooking process and making this dish genuinely achievable in less than half an hour.
The Perfect Canvas: Choosing Angel Hair Pasta
For this garlic butter shrimp scampi, we’ve chosen angel hair pasta, and for good reason. Its incredibly thin strands are light and delicate, making it the perfect complement to the tender shrimp without overpowering the dish. Angel hair cooks remarkably fast, often in just 2-4 minutes, which is crucial for achieving our 30-minute meal goal. Its fine texture also allows it to beautifully absorb the garlic butter sauce from the shrimp, ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor. While angel hair is our top recommendation for its speed and compatibility, you could certainly substitute it with other thin pasta varieties like vermicelli or even a slightly thicker option like linguine or spaghetti if you prefer a different mouthfeel. The key is to select a pasta that cooks quickly and can gracefully carry the rich scampi sauce.
A Burst of Color and Nutrients: Peppers and Spinach
To add both visual appeal and a boost of nutrition, we’ve incorporated red bell pepper and fresh spinach into our shrimp scampi. The vibrant red bell pepper not only provides a beautiful contrast to the green spinach and pink shrimp but also introduces a delightful sweetness and a gentle crunch. Bell peppers are packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants, making this dish even healthier. We chose red bell pepper for its sweeter profile, but feel free to use yellow or orange bell peppers for a slightly different flavor note and color palette.
Fresh spinach, on the other hand, wilts down quickly and effortlessly blends into the pasta, adding an earthy depth and a wealth of vitamins and minerals, including iron and Vitamin K. It’s an ideal vegetable for quick sautéing, softening just enough to become tender without losing its fresh taste. Together, the bell pepper and spinach create a balanced vegetable component that enhances the overall flavor, texture, and nutritional value of the scampi, making it a truly complete and satisfying meal.
Mastering the 30-Minute Timeline
The beauty of this Shrimp Scampi with Peppers and Spinach lies in its incredible efficiency. Achieving a delicious, homemade meal in under 30 minutes requires a bit of smart planning, and Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp makes it effortless. Here’s a breakdown of how the timeline works:
- **Shrimp (Approx. 15-18 minutes):** The Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp cooks hands-free in the oven. This is your primary cook time, during which you can focus on other components.
- **Pasta (Approx. 5-7 minutes active):** While the shrimp is baking, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Angel hair pasta cooks in just minutes, so you’ll drop it in towards the end of the shrimp’s baking time.
- **Vegetables (Approx. 5-7 minutes active):** Simultaneously with the pasta, heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté the minced garlic and chopped bell pepper until softened. Then, add the fresh spinach and cook until just wilted.
By overlapping these steps, you ensure everything is ready at precisely the same moment. The moment the shrimp emerges from the oven, tender and coated in its rich sauce, your al dente pasta and vibrant sautéed vegetables will be waiting. A quick toss, and dinner is served! This synchronized cooking approach makes it an ideal recipe for even the busiest evenings, proving that a delicious, gourmet-style seafood dinner is always within reach.
Enhancing Your Scampi Experience: Tips and Variations
While this Shrimp Scampi with Peppers and Spinach is fantastic as is, a few simple additions can elevate your dining experience:
- **Garnish with Flair:** A sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley or a pinch of red pepper flakes adds a beautiful finish and an extra layer of flavor and subtle heat. A wedge of lemon on the side allows guests to add a bright, citrusy zing if desired.
- **A Touch of Parmesan:** While the Gorton’s shrimp comes with a Parmesan sauce, a final dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the finished dish can enhance its savory notes.
- **Consider a Crusty Companion:** Serve alongside a warm, crusty baguette to soak up every last drop of the delicious garlic butter sauce.
- **Side Salad Simplicity:** A light, refreshing green salad with a vinaigrette dressing makes a perfect accompaniment, offering a fresh contrast to the rich pasta.
- **Wine Pairing:** For a truly indulgent meal, pair your scampi with a crisp, dry white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- **Flavor Boost:** For an extra layer of flavor in your vegetable sauté, you can deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or vegetable broth after sautéing the garlic and peppers, before adding the spinach.
This dish is not only perfect for quick weeknight meals but also impressive enough for a date night or a small gathering. Its vibrant colors and rich flavors are sure to delight anyone at your table.
Explore More Gorton’s Seafood Recipes
If you love the convenience and flavor of Gorton’s Seafood, you’ll be happy to know there are many other exciting recipes you can create. Discover new ways to incorporate high-quality, sustainably sourced seafood into your meal rotation with these delicious ideas:
Asian Chopped Salad with Gorton’s Pollock Tenders
Crispy Fish Greek Rice Bowls with Gorton’s Crunchy Breaded Fish Fillets
These recipes offer diverse flavors and easy preparations, showcasing the versatility of Gorton’s products. Whether you’re looking for a light salad or a hearty bowl, Gorton’s makes it simple to enjoy delicious seafood at home.
Shrimp Scampi with Spinach and Peppers
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oven bag from Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp Classic Scampi
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced or diced
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ teaspoon salt (for pasta water, or to taste)
- 4 oz. dry angel hair pasta
- Optional garnishes: fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat your oven according to the directions on the Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp Classic Scampi box. Carefully remove one oven bag from the Gorton’s package and place it on a baking sheet. Bake as directed, typically for 15-18 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through and tender.
- While the shrimp bakes, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water, then add the angel hair pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 2-4 minutes). Drain the pasta and set aside, keeping it warm.
- In a medium-sized skillet or large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and diced red bell pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bell pepper has softened slightly and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the fresh spinach to the pan with the garlic and peppers. Continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes, or until the spinach has fully wilted.
- Once the shrimp is cooked, carefully remove the oven bag from the oven. Open the bag (caution: steam will be hot) and transfer the cooked shrimp and its garlic butter sauce into the pan with the sautéed vegetables.
- Add the drained, warm angel hair pasta to the pan with the shrimp and vegetables. Gently toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the garlic butter sauce and all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired. A lemon wedge on the side is also a great addition for a fresh citrus kick.
Nutrition
In conclusion, this Shrimp Scampi with Peppers and Spinach offers a perfect blend of speed, convenience, and gourmet flavor. Thanks to Gorton’s Simply Bake Shrimp Classic Scampi, you can enjoy a fresh, vibrant, and satisfying seafood dinner without the usual fuss. It’s a testament to how easily delicious and healthy meals can fit into even the busiest schedules. Give it a try tonight and transform your weeknight dinner routine!
If you enjoy this recipe, we’d love to see your creations! Snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag us @crunchycreamysweet so we can admire your delicious meal and leave a comment! Happy cooking! 😀
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Gorton’s Seafood. All text, photos and opinions are 100% my own.