A few weeks back in Aldi I stumbled upon something I had only heard of, Langostino tails. Being the seafood fan that I am (and considering that Aldi rotates items), I immediately grabbed two bags.
So, what to cook with them? Well, being the pasta fan that I am, I immediately thought to cook a creamy Langostino pasta!
What are Langostinos?
Langostinos may look like tiny lobsters, but they’re actually a species of squat lobster, a crustacean closer to the crab family than true lobster. What makes them special is their delicate, sweet flavor and naturally tender texture. They taste like a mix of lobster and shrimp.
They’re almost always sold pre-cooked and frozen, which makes them incredibly convenient for quick, easy meals like this creamy pasta.
Ingredient Notes
You can find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things I am using:
- Pasta – I am using bowties this time around, but fettuccine, linguine and penne are also great choices for creamy sauces.
- Olive oil and butter – For sautéing and adding flavor to the sauce..
- Mushrooms – I am using quartered baby bellas, but white mushrooms are perfectly fine. You can also slice them if you prefer.
- Garlic – Sliced or minced, but always fresh.
- Crushed red pepper – Because you know we need to have at least a little kick.
- Dry cooking sherry – This is what really makes the sauce stand out. If you don’t have it, white wine works too.
- Heavy cream – One full cup for that restaurant-style sauce. If you want it slightly lighter, half & half can work.
- Parmesan cheese – I always grate my own because it melts better into the sauce.
- Langostino tails – If you can’t find langostinos, this recipe is also great with shrimp.
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parsley
Langostino Pasta Recipe
1. Boil pasta: Cook pasta in salted, boiling water to your desired doneness. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté mushrooms and aromatics: In the same pot you cooked the pasta, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until they soften up, about 5 minutes. Add butter, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about a minute.
3. Build the sauce: Pour in sherry. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce the sherry. Gradually pour in heavy cream, stirring continuously. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle in the grated parmesan slowly, continuously stirring as you do so (this helps prevent clumping).
4. Finish the dish: Once the parmesan is well incorporated, add the langostino tails, and mix well. Taste and adjust sauce for salt. Stir in cooked pasta. Grind in some black pepper, add parsley, and stir everything well.
Serve hot.
A Few Tips
- Bring your cream to room temperature. This helps prevent curdling.
- Use freshly grated cheese. It melts into the sauce much better than pre-shredded.
- Reduce the sauce. I always make sure to let my cream sauces simmer for a few minutes to reduce. This helps them thicken up and stick to the pasta better.
- Reserve some pasta water. If you want a little saucier pasta, the pasta water is great for adding in after the pasta is added. Also, if you don’t eat right after cooking the pasta can absorb some of the liquid. The pasta cooking water is perfect for loosening things back up.
Storing and Reheating
If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate them for up to 3-4 days in a sealed container. Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of water or cream.
I don’t recommend freezing this, or creamy pastas in general.
Variations
- Give it a New Orleans flair: Add a couple of tablespoons of Creole Seasoning at the same time as the garlic. You can even go all out and include some andouille sausage.
- Add other veggies: Spinach, bell peppers and asparagus are top choices. And Alpana never argues with peas in her pasta.
- Tuscan themed: Add some sundried tomatoes and spinach into the sauce. This version is a sure hit.
- Try pesto: Instead of the sherry, use 1 cup of pesto sauce.
Have some other ideas? We’d love to hear them, just drop your variations in the comments.
If you’re ready for an easy, restaurant-style dinner, then get on down to Aldi and grab a bag of frozen langostino tails. (FYI, this is not a sponsored post). Cook up this fancy tasting pasta and let me know what you think.
Now, what other langostino recipes will we come up with next? Langostino stir fry? Langostino and grits? Stay tuned to find out!
Creamy Langostino Pasta, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More creamy pasta recipes:
Jambalaya Pasta
Jerk Chicken Pasta
Gigi Hadid Pasta
Pasta alla Norcina
Creamy Sausage Cavatappi
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Mexican Green Spaghetti
Recipe Video
Langostino Pasta with Sherry Cream Sauce
My Langostino Pasta with Sherry Cream Sauce is a seemingly fancy weeknight dinner with big restaurant-style flavor. But it's so easy!
Ingredients
- 8oz dried pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8oz mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup dry cooking sherry
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 12oz frozen langostino tails, thawed
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling water to your desired doneness. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot you cooked the pasta, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until they soften up, about 5 minutes.
- Add butter, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about a minute.
- Pour in sherry. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce the sherry.
- Gradually pour in heavy cream, stirring continuously. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the grated parmesan slowly, continuously stirring as you do so (this helps prevent clumping).
- Once the parmesan is well incorporated, add the langostino tails, and mix well. Taste and adjust sauce for salt.
- Stir in cooked pasta. Grind in some black pepper, add parsley, and stir everything well.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Bring your cream to room temperature. This helps prevent curdling.
- Use freshly grated cheese. It melts into the sauce much better than pre-shredded.
- Reduce the sauce. I always make sure to let my cream sauces simmer for a few minutes to reduce. This helps them thicken up and stick to the pasta better.
- Reserve some pasta water. If you want a little saucier pasta, the pasta water is great for adding in after the pasta is added. Also, if you don’t eat right after cooking the pasta can absorb some of the liquid. The pasta cooking water is perfect for loosening things back up.
- Leftovers. If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate them for up to 3-4 days in a sealed container. Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of water or cream. I don’t recommend freezing this, or creamy pastas in general.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 521Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 24gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 116mgSodium 492mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 14g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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