Sautéed Shrimp, Snap Peas & Pistachios with Basil Recipe

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There are times when random ingredients in my kitchen play nicely with each other to produce a healthy recipe that is nothing short of spectacular, such as this sautéed shrimp with snap peas, pistachios and basil. Rummaging through the fridge and pantry can shake out some surprising flavor combinations, and this was one that truly shocked the heck out of me.

This recipe came together as various ingredients collided in my brain, a virtual train crash ready to happen. I had shrimp on the brain, a craving that wouldn’t go away. On the counter was the lemon left over from the whole wheat lemon and berry pancakes that I made in a local TV cooking segment on Monday.

Click on the photo to watch the segment.

And then there were the pistachios that my husband and I nibbled away on as we sat side-by-side, working on our computers (a typical evening activity for us…whatever happened to 9 to 5 hours?!)

Collision of ideas + collision of flavors = happy kitchen accident.

The recipe:

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with 1/4 tsp salt and the ground pepper.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet and add the shallots. Cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes.

Add the snap peas and cook until the snap peas are just tender, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the shrimp (and accumulated juices), pistachios, lemon zest, basil and the remaining salt into the snap peas. Serve immediately.

Other shrimp recipes:

Cookin’ Canuck’s Salad Cups with Quinoa, Shrimp, Avocado & Lemon Dressing
Cookin’ Canuck’s Fisherman’s Soup with Tilapia, Shrimp, Tomatoes & Capers
White on Rice Couple’s Avocado Shrimp Noodle Salad with Creamy Ginger Vinaigrette
The Perfect Pantry’s Roasted Shrimp Appetizer with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Savoury Table’s Spanish-Style Toasted Pasta & Shrimp

Tagged as: basil, healthy, pistachio, recipe, seafood, shrimp, snap peas