White Cheddar Shells and Cheese with Shrimp and Peas – Made with lightened up creamy white cheddar cheese sauce, pasta shells, and sweet peas, Shrimp Shells and Cheese puts a new spin on ordinary mac ‘n cheese and the whole family will LOVE it!
You guyyyyys! I am writing to you from 35,000 feet in the air. I can’t sleep, even though this flight is 9 hours long, and I can’t really watch another movie, so what better thing to do than to whip out my macbook here and talk to you all?!
AND revolve this whole conversation around my family’s new found mac-n-cheese love that involves shrimp.
This White Cheddar Shells and Cheese with Shrimp and Peas was dinner 2 nights in a row because, a) leftovers, and b) packing suitcases + making from-scratch, homemade dinners? Those two things just don’t go together. I tried and failed. Because of that, I forgot to pack up the kid’s bathing suits and was given the, “You don’t love me, you don’t think about me!” treatment because I also forgot to pack up their princess dresses… send wine, please!
Anywho! Have you ever tried shrimp with your shells and cheese? Good stuff, right?
The cheese sauce is so good here! Working off my very popular Chicken and Broccoli Shells and Cheese recipe, I lightened up the sauce by not using any cream, and gave it an extra oomph by adding white cheddar instead of our good ol’ friend, sharp cheddar cheese. ?
I definitely wanted to include a veg in this recipe, and what better veg to choose than sweet and poppable green peas?! Seriously. They were the best choice for this shells and cheese dish.
Please hear me when I say that this is as simple as it is delicious. I mean like 30-ish-minute simple. YOU (WE) CAN TOTALLY DO THIS.
Step 1: Make pasta
Step 2: Melt butter
Step 3: Cook shrimp
Step 4: Add sauce
Step 5: Add pasta, peas, and cheese
Step 6: Eat Eat Eat!
ENJOY!
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TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Ingredients
- 12 ounces small pasta shells
- 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1 cup low sodium fat free chicken broth
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
Place peas in a colander. Drain pasta over peas in colander.
In the meantime, add butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and melt butter over medium heat.
Add shrimp and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until shrimp is pink.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, chicken broth, and flour.
Add garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder to the mixing bowl; whisk until well combined.
Stir the milk mixture into the pan with the shrimp.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
Add pasta, peas, and cheddar cheese to the skillet; stir until cheese is melted and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving (1.5 Cups)
Calories 551 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 242mg 81%
Sodium 1044mg 44%
Potassium 384mg 11%
Total Carbohydrates 54g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 4g
Protein 37g 74%
Vitamin A 17.4%
Vitamin C 21.7%
Calcium 47.7%
Iron 26.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
