This shrimp pasta is delicious and quick to make! It takes less than 30 minutes to pull off from start to finish. And it only uses 7 ingredients (not counting salt, of course). Fresh sweet Datterino tomatoes, plump local Mediterranean shrimp, and a new pasta shape make this a new pasta recipe the whole family can enjoy.

shrimp pasta with triangular trighetto spaghetti

What is Trighetto Pasta?

Trighetto is a triangular-shaped long pasta noodle similar to a spaghetti noodle, but with angles and 3 flat surfaces. It's made by Molisana which is a pasta manufacturer located in Campobasso, Italy (near Abruzzo founded in 1912).

This shrimp pasta recipe was loosely based on Mama A's "Pasta alla Gamberi" (pasta with shrimp). She makes this pasta about once or twice a month, and it's so delicate and good. This is a much "shimpier" version of her shrimp pasta.

As with any pasta or pasta sauce, feel free to substitute spaghetti, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or pasta alla chitara if that's what you've already got on hand. Then just add some freshly sliced (very) sweet tomatoes, some local (or quality frozen) shrimp, garlic, and shallots.

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What is Trighetto Pasta?
Triple Shrimp Trighetto Pasta Ingredients
How to Make Triple Shrimp Trighetto Pasta (Creamy Shrimp Pasta)
Triple Shrimp Pasta Step-by-Step Photos
📖 Recipe

Triple Shrimp Trighetto Pasta Ingredients

shrimp, heads-on
Mutti finely chopped canned tomatoes (or other San Marzano canned tomatoes)
extra virgin olive oil, divided in half
garlic clove
shallot
grape tomatoes or other sweet Roma tomatoes
Trighetto pasta or Spaghetti pasta noodles
salt
crushed red pepper (optional)

closeup of the shrimp pasta with large shrimp covered in a shrimp and tomato sauce

a bit of shrimp pasta twirled around a fork

How to Make Triple Shrimp Trighetto Pasta (Creamy Shrimp Pasta)

Blister the garlic and flavor the oil with shrimp heads + shells. Cook the garlic clove for 1 to 2 minutes in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until slightly blistered and remove. Add shrimp shells and heads and sauté until they turn red in color and are cooked through, pushing on them with the back of a spoon to release their juices and any meat still left inside the shells.
Extract the juice from the shrimp heads + shells. Once all of the shells are pink and cooked through, turn off the heat, remove the heads/shells from the pot and place a sieve (fine mesh strainer) on top of this same cooking pot. Place the shrimp shells into a potato ricer in batches and squeeze to extract the remaining juices and oils left inside the shells allowing the juices to run into the cooking pot directly over the fine mesh strainer to catch any shells or pieces.. *see photos below.
Sauté the shallots and canned tomatoes. Once you've extracted all of the remaining juices, add the chopped shallot to the pan and turn the heat on to medium and cook the shallots for a few minutes until translucent and soft, add in the canned tomatoes and red pepper flakes (optional) and continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and is slightly thickened.
Sauté the fresh tomatoes. Next, add the chopped fresh tomatoes, add salt to taste, and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes more, or until the mixture is somewhat reduced and the tomatoes are slightly cooked but still bright in color.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, place the pasta into boiling (lightly salted) water and cook to "al dente" according to the package directions.
Cook the shrimp + finish the sauce. When there are about 6 minutes left for the pasta to be finished cooking, add the shrimp to the sauce in a single layer and cook for about 4 minutes, or until opaque. Using a spoon or a ladle, add about ¼ cup (45-60g) of starchy pasta cooking water to the shrimp sauce and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Assemble the pasta. Add the strained pasta directly to the shrimp sauce, turning to coat and flavor the pasta noodles well and serve immediately and, Enjoy!