Uncovered Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
• olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ small onion, chopped
• 14 ounces frozen shelled and deveined medium shrimp - thawed and patted dry
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (Optional)

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, add the fettuccine and cook it uncovered, stirring now and then, until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite—about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta well and set it aside.

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until it’s nice and crispy, around 5 minutes. Remove all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat, then add the olive oil. Toss in the garlic and onion and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, which should take about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook just until they turn pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and diced tomatoes. Let everything simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the liquid reduces by about half—this should take roughly 10 minutes.

Step 4

Push the shrimp to the edges of the pan and pile the spinach in the center. Cover the skillet and let the spinach wilt gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Once it’s softened, stir the spinach into the shrimp mixture. If you like your sauce a bit thicker, stir in some tomato paste at this point.

Step 5

Finally, toss the shrimp and spinach sauce with the cooked pasta or spoon it over the top. Serve warm and enjoy!