Spicy Shrimp Pasta

This spicy shrimp pasta recipe is two things: super easy to make AND absolutely delicious. I love to make this pasta recipe whenever I get back from work tired and just want something delicious, healthy and quick for dinner. Who doesn’t know that feeling, right? Here is one of my go-to recipes for a classic, healthy and incredibly delicious pasta dinner.

Ingredients for spicy shrimp pasta

I love that most of the ingredients in this recipe are very basic, which means that most of us probably have them at home. What I love even more: the taste of this pasta recipe. I am a huge fan of recipes that use only few ingredients to let their different unique flavors shine. This recipe features a flavorful, juicy and spicy tomato sauce. The ingredients that give this spicy pasta dish its distinct flavor are garlic, chile peppers, a sweet tomato sauce, paprika powder and red chili flakes. Combine these amazing ingredients with shrimps and spaghetti and you are good to go! Easy, simple, healthy and incredibly delish.

How to make the recipe

Let’s get into how this great pasta dish is made. It is super, super easy. Believe me. This is very doable, no matter how tired or short on time you are.

First, you simply cook the whole-wheat spaghetti according to the packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking, you can start with the sauce. Start by heating a pan using medium-high heat with olive oil. While the pan heats up, you can wash the shrimps, pat them dry and cut the garlic and chile into small dices. Now comes the trickiest part, which actually is not that tricky or hard. Easy recipe, remember? 😄 You add the shrimps to the pan and sauté them briefly for approximately one minute. Next, you add the garlic and chile dices and sauté them with the shrimps for one more minute. Now, add the tomato sauce and the spices and heat the sauce up, then reduce to low heat. The spaghetti should now be finished with cooking. Drain the water and add the spaghetti to the pan. Mix everything and there you go! An easy, healthy and super quick weeknight dinner.

There is only one important thing to remember when preparing this recipe: do not overcook the shrimps. They get dry very easily, so stick to a cook time of 2-4 minutes for medium-sized shrimps. You can also check the packaging for information on cook time. Other than that, this recipe is absolutely fool-proof and SO YUM.

Extra tips for you

• Add more chile pepper or chili flakes if you love spicy foods. This recipe is appropriate for people who can handle moderately spicy recipes. So absolutely feel free to adjust the recipe according to your preferences!
• Add some water for a less thick consistency. Depending on the tomato passata you use, the consistency of the sauce might be too thick for your taste. Simply adjust by slowly adding water until you have reached your desired consistency.
• Add veggies to the sauce. Sometimes when I have leftover veggies I simply use them for this recipe. It is a great way to clean up your fridge and adds more veggies to the recipe. Simply sauté your vegetables with the shrimps.
• Serve with a side salad. If you have the extra time, you can definitely serve this dish with a great side salad! I always make sure I get in my veggies, so I love to prepare a salad whenever I have a main dish that contains less of them.
• Make it low carb or gluten-free. You can easily make this recipe low carb and gluten-free if you switch the whole-wheat spaghetti with zoodles. You can also use other pasta alternatives, like black bean spaghetti, to make this recipe.

More spicy and delicious recipes

• Batata Harra (Spicy Potatoes)
• Beef Chili
• Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup
• Mango Habanero Salsa
• White Bean Chicken Chili