Old Bay Shrimp Capellini (Easy Summer Pasta)

My Old Bay Shrimp with Capellini is loaded with burst cherry tomatoes, capers, shallots, and garlic. The Old Bay seasoned shrimp is packed with flavor, making this pasta one of my family’s favorites. A must for busy summer nights when you want something easy and delicious.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

• Shrimp. I used medium-sized shrimp, 31-40 count. This size is great because it ensures you get a bite of shrimp with almost every bit of pasta. Feel free to use larger or smaller shrimp, but note that cook time will vary if doing so. My go-to shrimp lately have been Argentine red shrimp or pink gulf shrimp, but use what is available to you.
• Old Bay seasoning. This seasoning blend hails from the Chesapeake Bay area, Baltimore to be exact, and is a combination of celery salt, red pepper, black pepper, and paprika. It’s often used for crab and shrimp boils. It’s used in both the shrimp brine and the sauce.
• Pasta. Capellini is a very thin pasta that’s a touch thicker than angel hair. I love capellini and angel hair with seafood, but this dish would work well with other long pastas, such as linguine fini, linguine, or spaghetti.
• Stock. If you have homemade shrimp or seafood stock, that will yield superior results, but you can also use store-bought seafood stock, stock made from Lobster base, or chicken stock.
• Wine. Use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc. If you cannot have alcohol, it can be omitted.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

1. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp with the baking soda and Old Bay seasoning and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes prior to sauteing.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Heat a large pan to medium heat with the extra virgin olive oil and add the shrimp. Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes or until just cooked, then transfer to a plate covered with tented foil to stay warm.
3. To the same pan, add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 2 more minutes.

4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the tomatoes along with a sprinkle of salt and saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to burst.
5. Add the white wine and bring the sauce to a boil while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits. Reduce the sauce by half then add the stock, Old Bay seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce.

6. Add the capellini to the water and begin to cook to al dente. Add 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce, then lower the heat and add the shrimp back to the pan to warm through.
7. Once heated through, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, one cube at a time. Add the parsley and capers and mix well. Taste test and season with salt and pepper if needed.

8. Place the capellini onto a large platter and pour the shrimp and sauce over the top. If the pasta is too dry, add a touch of reserved pasta water. Serve and enjoy!