Pasta salad with shrimp

I found a summer squash recipe that I was excited to try, and I got a summer squash in my CSA…perfect timing! I made this for a fun Labor Day barbecue. 

Mise en place

The recipe said that “the hot pasta will will the spinach and soften the squash”, which didn’t really happen. The squash was ok because I sliced it very thinly, but next time I would probably toss the spinach in the pan with the shrimp to properly wilt. I also tossed in some chopped tomatoes with the shrimp. I tossed in the olives last, and made sure to reserve some without olives for my olive-hating friends.

Pasta salad with shrimp
Source: Adapted from Everyday Food, July/August 2010
Serves: 4-6

Shrimp prep

Ingredients
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 pound short pasta, such as fusilli
1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced crosswise
1/3 cup roughly chopped pitted Kalamata or Niçoise olives
4 lightly packed cups baby spinach (3 1/4 ounces)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Juice from 1 lemon
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp paprika

Version sans olives

Directions
1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with squash, olives, lemon zest and juice, dill, mustard, and 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with garlic and paprika. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with shrimp.