The Pioneer Woman has some of my all time favorite recipes! One particular favorite is Penne a la Betsy and oh, did I miss that loveliness once I went Paleo. The good news? I tested this out with spaghetti squash and it’s just as delicious! Read on for the recipe! This recipe is rich, delicious, and crowd pleasing. I made two versions – one Paleo-style for my enjoyment, and one with penne pasta for my parents.
Start by gathering your ingredients: shrimp, butter, olive oil, garlic, white wine, tomato sauce, heavy cream, fresh parsley, fresh basil, S & P.
Start by preparing the shrimp. I always use fresh shrimp because the frozen ones never quite cook the same way. They always get rubbery and shriveled no matter how little you cook them. After rinsing off the gunk and yuck, peel and devein the shrimp. This is slightly time-consuming, but wouldn’t you rather eat shrimp without their digestive track? Rinse the shrimp again, to you know – get rid of any additional traces of ickiness. Also, save those shells! They make a lovely shrimp stock. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook until just about pink – about 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK!
Remove the shrimp from the skillet and chop into small, bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Dice the onion and garlic.
Heat 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil in the skillet.
Saute the onions and garlic until soft.
Add white wine and cook until evaporated. If you prefer to skip the booze, substitute with chicken stock.Add the organic/sugar-free tomato sauce and stir until combined.
Add the heavy cream while stirring continuously. Turn the heat to low and simmer.
Add the shrimp, parsley, and basil.
Stir until combined and S & P to taste.
Serve over penne pasta… OR…
over spaghetti squash and garnish with parsley.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy this Paleo version of this dish as much as I do! Aloha!
Paleo-Friendly Meals: “Penne” a la Betsy
Total Time: 50 minutes
Per Serving 368 calories
Fat 30 g
Carbs 13 g
Protein 14 g
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
- 1 can organic/sugar-free chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley, to taste
- Fresh basil, to taste
- S & P
- Cooked spaghetti squash
Instructions
- Prepare your shrimp. Peel and devein shrimp. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes until opaque - just undercooked. Remove shrimp from skilled and chop into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- Dice onion and garlic. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil. Saute garlic and onions until soft. Add wine or chicken stock and cook until evaporated.
- Add tomato sauce and stir until combined. Add the heavy cream slowly, while continuously stirring. Turn the heat to low and simmer.
- Add chopped herbs and shrimp. S & P to taste.
- Serve over spaghetti squash, garnished with parsley.
- Enjoy!