I have such a weird relationship with shrimp. Most of the time, I don’t like it, then suddenly, out of the blue, I get this really intense craving for it, and I’m all like, “Who are you, and where did you come from?” Well, when that craving hit last week, I whipped up this super fast and easy Blackened Shrimp Pasta, featuring a homemade blackened seasoning mix. If you want BIG flavor without a lot of work, this pasta is your answer.
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“This is a recipe I’ve been making for years!!! I’ve even used the spice mixture in other recipes. I love to double the shrimp and use fire roasted tomatoes! Thanks, Beth for such a good one.”
Rachael
Easy Blackened Shrimp Pasta Recipe
The flavor in this pasta is bold and smoky with just the right amount of kick—nothing overwhelming, but definitely enough to keep things interesting. I would call this shrimp pasta “medium” spicy, but sensitivity to heat does vary from person to person. I used a homemade Cajun Seasoning Blend in this recipe, which allows you to adjust the heat to your liking. If you want it less spicy, reduce the cayenne pepper by half. If you want it more spicy, add more cayenne pepper!
Budget-Saving Tips!
- Fresh shrimp is always a treat, but for most of us, frozen is going to be the most readily available and cost-effective. Either will work for this recipe. Frozen raw shrimp thaws quickly when placed in a colander with cool water running over it.
- When buying shrimp, you’ll notice some numbers on the package (mine said 25/35), which refer to the size, or the number of shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger the shrimp. I used 25/35 because that’s what was available that day, but I think I would have preferred to use 31/45 so that I could get more pieces and more shrimp per bite in my pasta. Larger shrimp are prettier, of course, but when you’re working with a smaller amount (like I did in this recipe with just 1/2 lb.), going with a smaller size helps it go further without stretching your budget.
Blackened Shrimp Pasta
Servings 4Ingredients
BLACKENING SEASONING
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.30)
- 1 tsp thyme ($0.10)
- 1 tsp oregano ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.05)
SHRIMP PASTA
- 1/2 lb peeled and deveigned shrimp ($4.47)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.25)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.08)
- 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes ($1.06)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 lb pasta ($0.50)
- 2-3 green onions, sliced ($0.20)
- Handful fresh parsley ($0.20)
- 1 lemon ($0.58)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the herbs and spices for the blackening seasoning. Rinse the shrimp under cool water, drain, and then pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the blackening seasoning over the shrimp and stir to coat.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender (7-10 minutes). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
- While the pasta is cooking, mince the garlic and add it to a large skillet with the butter. Heat the butter and garlic over a medium flame until the butter starts to foam and sizzle. Continue to sauté the garlic in the sizzling butter for about one minute. Add the shrimp and sauté until they are opaque and slightly firm (3-5 minutes), then remove them from the skillet.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices) and about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the skillet. Stir and cook over medium heat, dissolving the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed (I added 1/4 tsp salt).
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce (add some of the remaining reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta). Return the shrimp to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Slice the green onions and chop the parsley leaves. Sprinkle both over top. Serve with sliced lemon to squeeze over top.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Blackened Shrimp Pasta – Step by Step Photos
Make the blackening seasoning: In a small bowl, stir together 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a pepper mill).
Prep the shrimp: Rinse 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp under cool water, let them drain, then pat dry with a paper towel (that helps the seasoning stick). I used 25/35 size shrimp, but I think a 31/45 might have been even better. Smaller pieces mean more pieces throughout the pasta.
Season the shrimp: Pour the prepared seasoning over the shrimp and stir until they’re well coated.
Boil the pasta: Once boiling, add 1/2 lb. pasta and cook until tender. Reserve about one cup of the starchy water before draining the pasta in a colander. I used angel hair pasta, but you could use just about any shape for this dish. When using a long pasta, like spaghetti or angel hair, I find it helps to break it in half before cooking. It makes stirring in large pieces, like shrimp or diced tomatoes, a LOT easier.
Cook the shrimp: While the pasta is cooking, get started on the shrimp and sauce. Mince two cloves of garlic and add them to a large skillet with 2 Tbsp butter. You really do need to use butter for this recipe to get that authentic “blackened” flavor. Heat the butter and garlic over medium heat until it starts to foam and sizzle, then continue to sauté for about a minute to cook out the raw garlic flavor.
Next, add the seasoned shrimp and continue to sauté until the shrimp are opaque and slightly firm. Shrimp cook very fast, so this should only take about 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp. It’s important not to overcook the shrimp because the longer you let shrimp sit on the heat, the more the proteins contract and the more firm and rubbery they become. So, remove them from the skillet as soon as they turn opaque and firm up.
Make the sauce: Now you’ve got all these fantastic browned butter and seasoning drippings stuck to the skillet. We NEED that flavor, so we’ll be deglazing the skillet…
Add a 15oz. can of petite diced tomatoes (with the juices) and about 1/2 cup of starchy pasta cooking water. Stir to dissolve that good stuff off the skillet. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes would also be awesome with this, but I don’t think anyone makes them in petite dice, so you’ll have larger tomato pieces.
Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to reduce and thicken. Taste the sauce and add a little salt if needed (I added 1/4 tsp salt).
Combine and serve: Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and toss until it’s coated with the sauce. Add a little bit more of the reserved pasta water, if needed, to help loosen the pasta (but don’t add a lot, or you’ll thin out the sauce too much).
Finally, return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and stir to combine with the pasta and sauce.
Slice a couple of green onions, chop a handful of parsley leaves, and slice a lemon.
Sprinkle the parsley and green onions over the pasta and serve with the lemon slices.
Wowza that Blackened Shrimp Pasta is NOT foolin’ around.
Variations to Try!
- Swap the shrimp for chicken if that’s what you have on hand—or if you’re just more in the mood for something a little more hearty. Chicken breast or thighs both work well; just make sure to cook them through before adding them back to the pasta.
- Switch up the pasta! I had angel hair pasta in my pantry, so I went ahead and used that, but this dish would work equally as well with just about any other shape of pasta. I think bowtie would be nice, as would penne, or fettuccine. The pasta is just the vehicle for the amazing spices and shrimp essence in this Blackened Shrimp Pasta, so the shape doesn’t matter so much. 😊
- Add extra veggies like spinach, bell peppers, mushrooms, or onions to bulk it up and sneak in more goodness. I’d sauté onions, peppers, or mushrooms along with the garlic and butter in the beginning, and toss in a handful of spinach at the very end so it wilts perfectly.
- Play with the tomatoes! If you love a smoky flavor, try using fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of regular petite-diced ones. If you’re not into tomato chunks, crushed tomatoes are a great alternative for a smoother sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This Blackened Shrimp Pasta is bold enough to stand on its own, but I love pairing it with a simple salad or grilled corn on the cob to round out the meal. A slice of fluffy beer bread on the side is also perfect for soaking up any leftover sauce. You could even serve the shrimp (minus the sauce and pasta) in tortillas with coleslaw, as I do in my blackened shrimp tacos recipe!
I love your Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe – could I add cream cheese to this recipe to make it “creamy”? If so, how much do you recommend adding?
You could try, but the recipe methods are a little different. The other recipe uses 2oz of cream cheese and you’ll likely need to have some broth or other liquid on hand to thin the sauce out. As is I think it would be a bit too thick with just adding cream cheese.
Awesome recipe – thanks for sharing!
I have been making this recipe for 4 years now. My family loves this dish and is one of their favorites. I quadruple the recipe. I use chicken breast instead of shrimp because my family don’t like shrimp. Even taste better the next day cold too!!
Hi, What store bought blackening spice can you use instead of purcahsing all of the ones that are listed in the recipe? Thanks!
Time to update this recipe as this is not how you blacken shrimp. You will need to have a stove hood that vents outside or do it in a skillet on a grill outside. Season your shrimp and preheat the skillet until it is very, very, very hot. Drizzle in clarified butter (it must be clarified). Add the shrimp and cook about 2 minutes on each side. That’s it. The flavor of blackened foods comes from charring the spices, particularly the thyme and oregano. Use plain paprika instead of smoked. You will have a new favorite dish. Also works with swordfish or tuna steaks and also chicken breast.
Would I be able to sub in diced chunky chicken? I’m a scardy cat when it comes to shrimp. Lol!
Yep! Here is a Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe that is very similar. You can leave out the cream cheese at the end and it will be more like this shrimp pasta (or make it creamy, as written).
This was delicious! I doubled the shrimp and used 12 oz spaghetti, vs the 8 oz in the recipe. It was so good!!! I will be making this again soon. It was fast to make by quick thawing the shrimp, and using other pantry staples.
This is a recipe I’ve been making for years!!! I’ve even used the spice mixture in other recipes. I love to double the shrimp and use fire roasted tomatoes! Thanks, Beth for such a good one.
Omg yet another another another amazing budgetbytes recipe that I want to make again like tomorrow. So delicious. Thank you Beth for your gift you share with the world. I felt like I went out to a fancy restaurant to eat this was so good.Â
Yummmm! Perfect amount of spice! I added a little fresh baby spinach for some more green. Definitely saving this for later!
Am I able to batch cook and freeze?
Yes it could be a great freezer recipe.
Loved it! It didnt need any pasta water, it was absolutely lovely with added onions and bell pepper (I love veggies!) little parmesean on top! Will make again, spicy goodness !
This is my go to recipe! My husband and I especially love it with bow-tie pasta… however we end up eating the whole thing in one sitting because it’s so good :-)
The kind of upgrade I do is I buy fire roasted tomatoes for an extra kick. Thanks for this recipe :-)
Your blackened shrimp tacos are one of our favorites so I figured this would be awesome too. Just as easy maybe easier. Super delicious! I doubled the recipe since it was for four (but like quadrupled the shrimp because we all love shrimp and since i had a two pound bag we just used the whole thing). Used a bag of penne pasta. Will make again!! Thanks for this!
I made this the other night and was amazed at how delicious and simple it was. I did find petite fire roasted tomatoes and used those. I did cook the sauce down a little more/did not add as much pasta water than directed.
Oh so happy to hear it Kim!