Paleo Summer Squash & Shrimp Pasta with Zesty Salsa Verde
herbaceous, savory, and so easy
It’s Thursday! Which always means that I have a brand new recipe for you! End of summer gardens are overflowing right now, and I’ve put the harvest to good use in this recipe!
Before we get into the recipe, I want to be sure everyone has a chance to enter the big giveaway and new preorder bonuses before the expire today August 29th at 11:59pm PT!
Three other announcements and housekeeping items I want to be sure you don’t miss!
BOSTON!!! Don’t miss a truly unique experience that only lasts August 8th-15th! The Westin Copley Square is offering a 3-course paleo meal curated from some of my most popular recipes! Make your reservations here!
Napa and Danville CA - tickets are almost gone for both of these events!!
Napa’s swag bags are so amazing and worth $90 with a copy of book included in the ticket price! So the food, wine, live music for the night nets out to FREE! :)
Book Tour Tickets are nearly sold out!! Napa, Washington D.C., Danville, and Denver are the only stops with a few tickets left!
On to this week’s new recipe. If your garden is booming like mine, this one is for you! The only thing missing from this recipe that’s currently overflowing in my garden is tomatoes, which you could easily roast with the squash and toss in!
Salsa Verde - but the Italian version
Mexican salsa verde and Italian salsa verde are two green sauces that I love for different reasons, each bringing its own unique flavor to the table. Mexican salsa verde is made from tomatillos, green chiles, garlic, onions, and cilantro. The tomatillos give it a bright, tangy flavor that’s balanced by the heat of the chiles, making it perfect for adding a zesty kick to tacos, enchiladas, or grilled meats. I love it and use it frequently.
On the other hand, Italian salsa verde is a herbaceous, savory sauce made from parsley, garlic, capers, olive oil, anchovies or fish sauce, and vinegar or lemon juice. I love its depth of flavor—the combination of fresh herbs and the umami from the capers makes it an excellent pairing with roasted vegetables, seafood, and tossed into pasta.
This week’s brand new recipe features the Italian version, spooned over roasted spaghetti squash and shrimp for a very simple and summery weeknight dinner. It’s inspired by a recipe we had Carneros Resort in Napa and I’ve made and tweaked now so many times. Make extra sauce and keep it on hand to spoon over grilled steak or fish, or tossed into a salad!
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Summer Squash & Shrimp with Zesty Salsa Verde
Servings 4 to 6
TOOLS
Sauce
1 and 1/8 cups Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cup packed Italian Parsley
1/4 cup Water
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Capers
2 teaspoons Salt
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
Squash and Shrimp
1 medium Spaghetti Squash (about 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 pound Large Wild Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Topping
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Capers
Fresh basil
METHOD
To soften the squash enough to slice it, place the squash directly on the middle rack of the oven and turn on the heat to 400°F. Once the oven preheat timer goes off (about 10 minutes), carefully remove the squash.
Meanwhile, prepare the salsa verde: In a food processor, coarsely chop the parsley, water, lemon juice, capers, salt, garlic, and fish sauce. Gradually add the olive oil to emulsify the mixture, then season to taste.
Once the squash has cooled enough to handle, slice off both ends, and cut crosswise into four or five rounds. Scoop out the seeds from the center of each round. Drizzle both sides of the rounds with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then arrange the rounds in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
During the last 5 minutes of roasting, toss the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the shrimp to the baking sheet with the squash and return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or once shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
While the squash and shrimp are roasting, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry the capers until crispy, then remove and drain on paper towels.
Once the squash is done roasting and has cooled slightly, slice it open and discard the seeds. Use a fork to scrape out the “pasta,” and heap it back onto the baking sheet. Drizzle the salsa verde over the squash and toss to combine. Roughly chop the roasted shrimp, then add the shrimp to the pasta and top with crispy capers and fresh basil before serving.
Substitutions
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Avocado oil
Italian Parsley: Cilantro or fresh basil
Lemon Juice: apple cider vinegar
Capers: Chopped green olives or pickled jalapeños
Fish Sauce: 2 anchovies, coconut aminos or tamari (gluten-free)
Spaghetti Squash: Zucchini or yellow squash “zoodles,” or roasted butternut squash. Saute the squash noodles in a pan with just a touch of oil under tender. Do not roast.
Large Wild Shrimp: Scallops, diced chicken breast, porcini or cremini mushrooms. Cook time will vary, but all can be added to the sheet pan just as the shrimp are.
Store Bought Shortcuts
Sauce : Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Sauce has a slightly different flavor profile but would work just fine as a shortcut. A traditional pesto sauce would also be great!
MAKE IT AHEAD
Salsa Verde: Prepare the salsa verde in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. This will allow the flavors to meld, and you can simply drizzle it over the squash and shrimp when ready to serve.
Roasted Squash: Pre-roast, but slightly undercook, the squash rounds and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you're ready to finish the dish, you can reheat the squash and proceed with the recipe from the shrimp roasting step.
PREP IT AHEAD
Shrimp Preparation: Clean and devein the shrimp ahead of time, storing them in the refrigerator. You can also toss them with olive oil and salt, so they are ready to be added to the baking sheet during the last few minutes of roasting.
Capers: Fry the capers ahead of time and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. This way, they’ll be ready to sprinkle on top of the finished dish, adding a crisp texture.
Oh this flavor profile sounds delicious! 😋
I just love it, when on release day, I happen to have all ingredients on hand!