Elegant Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 2
Yield: 2 servings

Description

This is a healthy, hearty, yet elegant recipe that is good enough for guests. It is also very easy and can be made with little notice. With low-carb pasta this can a good low-carb meal idea.

Ingredients

1 cup penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon butter
10 spears asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
18 peeled and deveined large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1 Gather all ingredients.
2 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
3 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine, and simmer for 2 minutes.
4 Stir in the red pepper flakes, butter, and asparagus; cook until the asparagus is just tender, about 3 minutes.
5 Add the shrimp and lemon juice, continue cooking until the shrimp have turned pink and are no longer translucent in the center. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6 Toss the cooked penne pasta with the shrimp and asparagus mixture.
7 Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese to garnish.