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Sicilian Shrimp Linguine (Our Christmas Eve Tradition)

Every single Christmas Eve since I can remember — I mean since I was a baby — my mother has made this Sicilian Shrimp Linguine. In an Italian family, Christmas Eve is actually a bigger deal than Christmas Day, and this dish has always been the absolute star of the night.
Growing up, we celebrated with the Feast of the Seven Fishes… although, like many Italian-American families, we didn’t stick strictly to “all fish.” We might throw in a few meats here and there, but this shrimp linguine was non-negotiable. It showed up every year, no matter what.
My mom even served it at her restaurant back in the day, and it was always one of those dishes people came back for — rich, garlicky, briny, buttery, a little spicy… total perfection.
And because you know Christmas Eve for us is basically a seafood marathon, this is also the perfect place for me to link my other Christmas Eve shrimp dishes that we always serve alongside it:
This is one of those recipes that doesn’t rely on cream or heavy sauces. The “sauce” is created naturally by the tomatoes, olives, and artichokes melting together with good extra-virgin olive oil and butter. So don’t be shy with the olive oil here — it’s what makes the whole dish silky and authentically Sicilian. I always use La Española EVOO!
This is our family’s Christmas Eve pasta, and every time I make it, I swear I can smell my mom cooking it in her kitchen again.
Shrimp Oreganato (perfect for Feast of the Seven Fishes)Baked Shrimp
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

For the Shrimp

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 4 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 –1½ pounds frozen raw deveined shrimp (peeled after thawing)
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the Sicilian Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 5 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1½ heaping tablespoons Badia Minced Garlic & Red Chili Pepper blend
  • Or: 6–7 cloves minced garlic + ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 6 oz can large black olives, roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved lengthwise
  • 1 14 oz can Vigo quartered artichokes, drained & roughly chopped
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • Juice of 1 small lemon
  • ¾ cup Chardonnay
  • Salt & freshly cracked black pepper layered throughout
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil

For the Mushrooms

  • 12 ounces sliced white mushrooms
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper added only at the end

For the Pasta

  • 1 pound linguine
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter for tossing into hot pasta
  • Reserved pasta water up to 1 cup — optional
  • Freshly grated Pecorino Romano
  • Extra basil or parsley for garnish

Instructions
 

Cook the Shrimp

  • Heat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat.
  • Add 4 tbsp butter + 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.
  • Pat shrimp dry; season well with salt & pepper.
  • Cook 5–10 minutes until pink, flipping once and shaking the pan.
  • Transfer shrimp to a bowl with all juices. Set aside.

Make the Sicilian Sauce

  • In the same pan, add 4 tbsp butter + 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.
  • Add chopped onion + garlic/red pepper blend.
  • Sauté on medium until translucent with a faint golden tint — do not brown.
  • Add Olives + Tomatoes
  • Stir in chopped black olives and halved tomatoes.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook 5–10 minutes on medium to medium-high until lots of juices form.

Add Artichokes

  • Add chopped, drained artichokes.
  • Season again with salt & pepper.
  • Cook a couple more minutes.
  • Add Lemon + Wine
  • Add lemon zest + lemon juice.
  • Pour in ¾ cup Chardonnay.
  • Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to medium.
  • Simmer 10–15 minutes until saucy and rich.
  • Add more extra-virgin olive oil if needed.
  • Taste; adjust seasoning.
  • Turn off heat and stir in parsley + basil.
  • Note: The “sauce” for this pasta is created by the vegetables + butter + good extra-virgin olive oil.
  • Don’t be shy with the olive oil — this is what makes the pasta authentically Sicilian and silky.

Cook the Mushrooms

  • In a separate pan, heat a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high.
  • Add mushrooms; do not salt while cooking.
  • Shake pan occasionally; do not brown.
  • Once lightly golden, season with salt & pepper.
  • Drain well and discard all mushroom liquid.

Cook the Linguine

  • Boil in salted water until al dente.
  • Reserve 1 cup pasta water (may not need it).
  • Drain.

Assemble the Dish

  • Add hot linguine to a large bowl.
  • Add 4 tablespoons butter over the pasta and let melt.
  • Add drained mushrooms over the linguine.
  • Pour all of the Sicilian sauce mixture over the top.
  • Pour in only the juices from the shrimp bowl (not the shrimp yet).
  • Toss extremely well until everything is fully combined.
  • Adjust the consistency
  • If the pasta needs loosening or more richness, adjust with:
  • More good extra-virgin olive oil
  • A little butter
  • A splash of pasta water (if needed)

Finish the dish

  • Grate lots of Pecorino Romano over the pasta.
  • Arrange the cooked shrimp beautifully over the top.
  • Finish with fresh basil or parsley.
  • Serve immediately — and watch everyone fall in love with it.
Keyword best shrimp, shrimp linguine, sicilian shrimp linguine
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