This super easy recipe is just as delicious as it is fun to make. With only five main ingredients (minus seasonings) you should have a delightful family friendly alternative to spaghetti and pasta sauce in only 30 minutes!
This recipe is very close to my heart. My mother taught me this and I added the shrimp at some point. I could probably eat the entire thing. I grew up with this recipe and its funny how even this simple recipe has stuck with me all these years. Your kids will definitely love it to!
A few tips to help you. First, be sure to slightly undercook the pasta. You’ll be pan frying it briefly and want it to be a little underdone so that it doesn’t get too sticky. This is true for the broccoli as well. You do not want them mushy. Second, shrimp can be precooked but fresh (or frozen) is preferred so that it absorbs some of the flavor. Finally, add the red pepper flakes to your desired spiciness. I make it a little less spicy for my kids.

Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 20 minutes |
Passive Time | 5 minutes |
Servings |
people
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- 1 lbs shrimp frozen
- 2 cups broccoli fresh
- 8 oz spaghetti about 4 servings
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
- varies tsp salt and pepper
Ingredients
Seasonings
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- Remove stem and cut broccoli heads
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil
- Add broccoli for 2-3 minutes
- Prepare cool water bath in a large bowl with at least 6 ice cubes
- Immediately drain broccoli and place in the cool water bath for 2-3 minutes
- Drain the broccoli and set aside
- Follow instruction on the pasta box, leaving the pasta a little more al dente
- Drain pasta, rinse with COLD water for a minute and add an ice cube or two
- Set pasta aside, begin frying shrimp in 1 tbsp oil on medium to medium high heat. You can add a little seasoning, like salt and pepper, to the shrimp now or later. Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on whether your shrimp was thawed.
- After shrimp is cooked, add broccoli for 2 minutes
- Add pasta, remaining olive oil. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Be careful to not let the pan get too hot, you do not want the pasta to start to stick.
- Add red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper
- Serve immediately! Add the Parmesan to each bowl as desired or the entire 1/4 cup to the whole dish.
- Enjoy!
Hope you enjoyed making this simple but delicious dish. It is super customizable if you want to add or remove anything it should still be pretty good. Let me know if you try any new combinations and I will definitely try them and update this recipe.
Happy cooking!
You can find me and others at the Simple Life Mom Hop!
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