Living in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, I am fortunate to have fresh shrimp available most of the year. And among the many dishes I make with this beloved crustacean, the one I love to make (and eat) the most is my Lowcountry Seafood Pasta Boil recipe.
With a nod to a classic Lowcountry Seafood Boil—or a one-pot meal with potatoes, onions, sausage, corn, and, of course, shrimp—this recipe is made with all the flavors of this quintessential Southern dish, but with the addition of satisfying pasta. It still features the ingredients and spices you would expect, but with one key difference: instead of leaning on potatoes as the hearty base, this recipe calls for linguine to switch things up. As a result, this meal is intended to be enjoyed using a fork instead of your fingers. You’ll find that the shrimp is pre-peeled, the corn is not served on the ear, and the sausage is cut into bite-sized pieces.
Another change: While Old Bay is the seasoning of choice in a typical Lowcountry Seafood Boil, this pasta dish is made with a creamy sauce that includes this must-have flavor as just one of its rich ingredients.
You don’t have to live on the coast of South Carolina or Georgia to enjoy this seafood-packed pasta dish. As long as you have the right ingredients and tools, like a shrimp cleaner and seafood scissors, you can whip up this pasta dish in your own kitchen with relatively little effort. Here’s what to know before diving into the recipe:
How to Clean Shrimp
Before you make this pasta dish, your shrimp need to be cleaned. Cleaning shrimp that isn’t already peeled and deveined may sound intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple to do with the right tools. And taking that extra step can add a sense of accomplishment knowing that you prepared your crustacean all by yourself!
First, peel the shrimp to remove the outer shell. Using seafood scissors to get the right angle, cut through the shell along the spot where the head was attached. Once the shell is cut down to the tail, it can be cracked open, allowing you to remove the meat.
Next, devein the shrimp to remove the digestive tract that runs along the back of the shrimp. To do this, insert the ridged shrimp cleaner into the end of the shrimp to remove the vein in one swift motion. A soft handle makes this shrimp cleaner comfortable to use and it's non-slip, even in wet hands.
Making Lowcountry Pasta Boil
Now that you know how to prepare your shrimp, you are ready to start preparing your Lowcountry Pasta Boil. Serve this with a green salad and a light and fruity dessert (we recommend something peachy) for a well-rounded meal that is perfect for summertime entertaining.
Pro Tip: If you plan on having leftovers, be sure to have storage containers on-hand for easy clean-up.
