The Pasta Dish That Will Get You of Your Weekday Meal Rut

On most weekdays, it's easy to turn to old reliables: a good stir-fry recipe or a makeover of your leftovers. But how about trying a pasta dish that you can whip up in minutes? Sweet shrimps and tangy lemon zest will help make your weekday meals less boring. 

Shrimp and Lemon Penne Recipe

Serves 3 to 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes

3/4 (8-oz) bar cream cheese, softened
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped white onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 kilo shrimp, peeled and deveined
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
2 cups penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
chili flakes (optional)

1 Mix cream cheese and chicken bouillon cube with pasta water until well-blended. Set aside.

2 Heat oil in a lrage frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; saute for 1 minute.
Add half the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Transfer shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining shrimp.

3 Return shrimp to the frying pan. Add cream cheese mixture and lemon zest; mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for one minute or until shrimp is heated through.

4 Stir in lemon juice, pasta, and parsley. Remove the cover of the pan and cook for another minute, stirring frequently, until heated through. Stir in mozzarella cheese.

5 Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with chili flakes, if desired, and serve hot.

CLICK HERE for more PASTA RECIPES

Recipe by Carina Guevara-Galang | Photography by Patrick Martires | Styling by Rachelle Santos