Pasta with Shrimp, Ricotta, and Orange
Dive into a delightful pasta experience with our vibrant shrimp and ricotta dish, where zesty orange adds a refreshing twist! This quick recipe combines succulent shrimp, creamy ricotta, and a splash of citrus for a meal that’s both satisfying and bursting with flavor. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it's sure to impress your taste buds!
Prep
5
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Zest and juice of orange
- Salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- Peeled shrimp
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Ricotta
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- Pasta, I used linguine
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
- 2
Meanwhile, sauté the shrimp with a bit of oil and garlic (high heat, quickly), and deglaze with orange juice.
- 3
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with orange zest, salt, and the shrimp heads until creamy.
- 4
Drain the pasta (reserve some water), mix it with the sautéed shrimp.
- 5
Add the ricotta cream off the heat.
- 6
Finish with a bit more orange zest and black pepper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook shrimp over high heat for only 60-90 seconds per side until they turn opaque and curl into a loose 'C' shape—shrimp proteins toughen rapidly above 130°F, so overcooking past a tight 'O' curl signals rubbery texture from excessive moisture loss.timing60-90 seconds per side, 130°F
- ✓Deglaze the pan with orange juice while it's still very hot (just off high heat) so the citric acid and sugars rapidly reduce and concentrate, scraping up fond for a syrupy sauce base in under 2 minutes rather than a watery one.techniqueunder 2 minutes reduction
- ✓Mix the ricotta cream off-heat and temper it with a splash of the starchy pasta water first, since ricotta's proteins will seize and turn grainy if exposed directly to temperatures above 160°F.technique160°F protein threshold
- ✓Reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining—its dissolved starch (around 1-2% concentration) acts as an emulsifier, helping the ricotta and residual pan juices cling to the noodles instead of separating into a thin liquid.ingredient1/2 cup, 1-2% starch concentration
- ✓Zest the orange using a microplane just before mixing into the ricotta, since the volatile citrus oils in the zest begin evaporating within 10-15 minutes of grating, causing significant aroma loss if prepped too early.ingredient10-15 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
5
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Pasta with Shrimp, Ricotta, and Orange
Dive into a delightful pasta experience with our vibrant shrimp and ricotta dish, where zesty orange adds a refreshing twist! This quick recipe combines succulent shrimp, creamy ricotta, and a splash of citrus for a meal that’s both satisfying and bursting with flavor. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it's sure to impress your taste buds!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Zest and juice of orange
- Salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- Peeled shrimp
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Ricotta
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- Pasta, I used linguine
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
- 2
Meanwhile, sauté the shrimp with a bit of oil and garlic (high heat, quickly), and deglaze with orange juice.
- 3
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with orange zest, salt, and the shrimp heads until creamy.
- 4
Drain the pasta (reserve some water), mix it with the sautéed shrimp.
- 5
Add the ricotta cream off the heat.
- 6
Finish with a bit more orange zest and black pepper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook shrimp over high heat for only 60-90 seconds per side until they turn opaque and curl into a loose 'C' shape—shrimp proteins toughen rapidly above 130°F, so overcooking past a tight 'O' curl signals rubbery texture from excessive moisture loss.timing60-90 seconds per side, 130°F
- ✓Deglaze the pan with orange juice while it's still very hot (just off high heat) so the citric acid and sugars rapidly reduce and concentrate, scraping up fond for a syrupy sauce base in under 2 minutes rather than a watery one.techniqueunder 2 minutes reduction
- ✓Mix the ricotta cream off-heat and temper it with a splash of the starchy pasta water first, since ricotta's proteins will seize and turn grainy if exposed directly to temperatures above 160°F.technique160°F protein threshold
- ✓Reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining—its dissolved starch (around 1-2% concentration) acts as an emulsifier, helping the ricotta and residual pan juices cling to the noodles instead of separating into a thin liquid.ingredient1/2 cup, 1-2% starch concentration
- ✓Zest the orange using a microplane just before mixing into the ricotta, since the volatile citrus oils in the zest begin evaporating within 10-15 minutes of grating, causing significant aroma loss if prepped too early.ingredient10-15 minutes