Who doesn't like pasta alfredo? Pasta is a great staple food, and alfredo is one of the most perfect sauces - which can be improved with a can of Rotel tomatoes. I add shrimp to mine, although chicken can also be used for those that don't care for shrimp. Honestly, I've only run across 2 people that don't like shrimp - one is my sister, and I've no idea why she doesn't like it, but the other person is allergic, so he can be forgiven for such blasphemy! Read on to find out more about making a quick and easy Shrimp Pasta Alfredo!
A lot of people, I'm sure, make their own homemade version, cooking the shrimp themselves, making their own alfredo, picking their own sweet peas out of their garden, probably mixing peppers into their own tomatoes, and possibly even making their own pasta! This little recipe is not for people like that, but for the rest of us who just don't have time to do all that preparation!
For the quick and easy version of this pasta alfredo, I use:
- a pound of frozen cooked shrimp (peeled and tail removed)
- a can of sweet peas
- a jar of Bertolli alfredo sauce
- a can of Rotel tomatoes
- garden rotini pasta (angel hair is also great with this, and really just any type of pasta you prefer can be used)
To start, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. I tend not to use as much water as the package calls for, and I also add salt to the water for extra flavor in the pasta. The garden rotini tends to take about 7-9 minutes, so I usually set my kitchen timer to 8 minutes once I've put the pasta into the boiling water.
While the pasta is cooking, put a pound of shrimp (I used roughly half of a two-pound package) into a colander, set the colander in the sink, and let hot water flow over it from the kitchen faucet; this is part of the quick defrosting stage. You definitely don't want your shrimp still to be frozen when you actually mix this wonderful dish together! Occasionally turn the colander to evenly defrost the shrimp.
When the pasta is done, turn off the burner, remove the pot from the stove, and pour the cooked pasta with the boiling water over the shrimp in the colander in the sink to finish the defrosting process. Once this is completed, set the pot on a trivet or potholder and pour the pasta and shrimp from the colander back into it (or, if preferred, use a large bowl instead).
At this point, open the can of peas; I always pour them into the colander to remove the excess water. Then dump them into the pot/bowl with the pasta and shrimp. Next, open the can of Rotel. I don't bother to drain it, I just dump the can into the pot or bowl. And finally, open the jar of alfredo sauce and pour on top of the other ingredients. You may have to use a long spoon (I use wooden ones) to scoop remaining sauce out of the jar, as it tends to cling to the sides and bottom.
Once all the sauce is in the pot or bowl, I take 2 wooden spoons and toss it all together like a salad. At this point, the Rotel and the alfredo sauce bond, giving the alfredo a nice, spicy, Southern-style "kick" that enhances and brings to life the tastiness of the dish. Once all the ingredients have mixed together, scoop out a helping and enjoy! I like to add corn on the cob and green beans to the dish to round out the meal, but many other sides would work just as well. And be sure to have a nice, cold glass of your favorite beverage; this being the South, that beverage would most likely be sweet tea or Coca-cola. Now, sit down and enjoy that meal!
