Quick and Easy Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta

Quick & Easy Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta

On Fridays after a long work week, dinners tend to go one of two ways- either I venture out to a local restaurant to avoid cooking or I throw together leftover ingredients to make an easy dish. This week, I had early evening plans so I wanted the dish to not only be simple but quick! After surveying the ingredients in my fridge and freezer, I realized I had enough to make a fast, simple, and delicious Mediterranean-inspired pasta. Requiring just 1 pot, 1 sauté pan, and 1 cutting board, clean up was even easier! Win.

Like most dishes, I started by sautéing some peppers and onions.

Next I added lots of chopped garlic (I love garlic) and frozen shrimp and cooked until the shrimp were cooked through.

Next, I added cooked whole wheat pasta…

…then cherry tomatoes, green olives, and tons of spinach…

…and tossed the ingredients together until the spinach wilted.

It looks so good already, but we’re not quite done! To lighten the dish up, I added in some lemon juice, seasoned with salt and black pepper, served in bowls, and topped with goat cheese crumbles. Ta da!

Delicious  The goat cheese melted into the hot dish and became creamy, so good!

This week’s “what can I throw together on Friday” dish turned out really well! What is your go-to dish when you don’t feel like cooking anything too complicated?

Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta
4 large servings
Ingredients:
-1/2 lb whole wheat pasta, dry
-2 onions, chopped
-2 green bell peppers, chopped
-2 tbsp olive oil
-5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
-12oz uncooked shrimp
-1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes
-1 cup of halved green olives
-4 cups of baby spinach
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-salt and black pepper, to taste
-1/2 cup of goat cheese crumbles

Directions:
1. Cook pasta in boiling water until cooked al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add garlic and shrimp and cook until shrimp are cooked through, about 6 minutes.
4. Turn heat to low, add pasta, and toss to combine. Add tomatoes, green onions, and spinach, and mix until spinach wilts down.
5. Sprinkle lemon juice over pasta and season with salt and black pepper.
6. Serve pasta and top each serving with 2 tablespoons of goat cheese. Enjoy immediately.