In my perfect world, I would have Cheesecake Factory’s Bistro Shrimp Pasta all the time. And when I say all the time, I mean all. the. time. As is breakfast, lunch, and dinner, 365 days out of the year. And I probably still wouldn’t get enough! Too bad it’s not a perfect world and too bad my pants don’t have magic seams that let themselves out as needed. Nor do I want that. No… No. That’s bad. Definitely bad. I’ve made this recipe quite a few times. And even though it was an instant hit in our house, I’ve tweaked it a bit every time to cut the fat and simplify the ingredients. Because nobody needs 3,000 calories. And gosh golly, I’ve done it! The spaghettini is tossed in the lemon-garlic sauce, fresh sautéed veggies and crispy shrimp. And a big healthy sprinkling of grated parmesan or two. I’m not counting. It is the epitome of summer pasta that’ll have you feeling the sun in no time! I will say that this recipe will take you the entire 40 minutes to make. But it’s totally worth it. Like every single bite is worth 40 minutes of work. Really. But I understand sometimes, it’s just not possible. I’ll give you a few shortcuts along the way to speed things up, not to worry! Let’s break down each component so that it’s easy for you to follow at home. For the shrimp: You want to get large shrimp (the 31-40 in a pound). Purchase the clean, deveined variety. Remove the tails or leave them on. Totally up to you. Beat an egg white and toss the shrimp in the egg whites until all the shrimp are evenly coated. In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and cornstarch. Roll each individual shrimp in the mixture and fry the shrimp in a skillet for about a minute on each side or until lightly golden brown. Remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. If you want an even lighter version of the recipe, purchase cooked boiled shrimp. They’re available in the frozen seafood section. Just defrost and toss along with the veggies, pasta, and sauce. The other option is, purchasing 1 pound of frozen popcorn shrimp. Bake them in the oven or fry them and toss with the other ingredients. Even though this option doesn’t make it any lower in fat, it’s the perfect way to make this meal even quicker! The Cheesecake Factory’s Bistro shrimp pasta has the battered version I showed you how to make above. I say, you can’t go wrong! Choose the shrimp option that works best for you. For the creamy lemon-garlic sauce:In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Whisk until all the lumps have been worked out. You’re going to add this to the sauce to thicken it later. Heat the butter and olive oil in a small saucepan, sauté the garlic for a few minutes. Add the chicken broth and half and half. Bring the sauce to a light simmer and let it reduce by a quarter before adding in the lemon juice mixture. Add the mixture slowly while you whisk. It’s important to whisk when adding because you don’t want the sauce to separate. Season it with salt as needed, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Turn the stove off. If you’re planning on serving it right away, add the chopped basil and give it a good stir. I made this recipe lighter by using fat free half and half. Obviously CF version of the bistro shrimp pasta didn’t get to 3,000 calories by making it that way! Using regular half and half makes this recipe even more luxurious! I’ve tried it both ways, and even though the regular version is to die for, it’s simply not realistic all the time.
For the veggies: In a skillet sauté the mushrooms for 2 minutes then add the tomatoes. Sauté for another minute and season with salt as needed. In a large bowl, toss the cooked spaghettini with the sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes. Add the arugula and toss until all the ingredients have been combined. The heat from the mushrooms and tomatoes helps wilt the arugula. Add half of the sauce and give it a gentle toss. This allows the pasta to absorb some of it. I like to spoon the rest of the sauce once the pasta is plated. Plate the pasta, add 5 – 6 pieces of shrimp per person and drizzle the sauce over the top. Add a few pinches of grated parmesan and that’s it!
Serve with a fresh side salad and you’ve got a 5 star meal ready at home in no time! Who says homemade versions of your restaurant favorite can’t taste just as good? Clearly they need to give this recipe a try! Bistro shrimp pasta is sure to please anyone and everyone!
