THIS RECIPE WAS DEVELOPED FOR INSTAGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Rao’s Homemade! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rao’s Summer Spaghetti
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 6-8 1x
Description
Loaded with tender shrimp, calamari, and lobster, this Summer Seafood Spaghetti tastes like the kind of pasta you’d order at a coastal Italian trattoria – but it comes together in 25 minutes with a jar of Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce and a handful of simple ingredients!
An easy-but-elevated dinner made for warm nights, perfect for summer entertaining!
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces Rao’s Homemade Thin Spaghetti
- 3 cups Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce
- 2 pounds mixed seafood of choice, such as:
- 1 pound extra large shrimp (U/26-30), peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces calamari tubes and tentacles
- 8 ounces cooked lobster
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 large shallots or 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dry, unoaked white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously season with salt. Meanwhile, prep the seafood. Rinse well with cool water and pat very dry with paper towels. If present, remove the tails from the shrimp. Slice each shrimp into 4-5 small bite-sized pieces. Slice the calamari tubes into ½-inch rings. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper.
- Boil the pasta: Once the water reaches a rolling boil (ideally while the aromatics soften, Step 4) add the pasta and cook to al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Carefully dip a large liquid measuring cup into the pot to reserve about 1 ½ cups of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta – but do not rinse. Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!
- Meanwhile, par-cook the seafood: Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the shrimp. Stir to coat. Cook 1 minute, then add calamari. Stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, just until the shrimp is opaque around the edges but still slightly translucent in the center and the calamari curls slightly at the edges. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics: If needed, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the shallots. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chili flakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.Â
- Build the seafood marinara: Deglaze the skillet with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until reduced by about half. Add the shrimp, calamari, and lobster to the skillet, stirring to coat in the softened aromatics. Stir in the marinara sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Toss the seafood pasta: Add the al dente pasta to the seafood marinara and toss well to combine. Return to medium-low heat and simmer 1-2 minutes longer, allowing the spaghetti to absorb some of the marinara. The sauce should evenly coat the pasta, so adjust as needed: add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen or simmer a bit longer to thicken.
- Serve family-style or portion into individual bowls. Top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and finely chopped fresh herbs such as basil, chives, and parsley.. Serve immediately with my Garlic Lover’s Garlic Bread and a Classic Caesar Side Salad for the perfect summer pasta dinner. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage and Reheating: While best enjoyed fresh, any leftover seafood pasta will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 1-2 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding an extra splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce as needed, until warmed through.
