Blackened Shrimp Pasta

I tend to have a love-hate relationship with shrimp. I don’t like it most of the time but once in a while, I have this super intense craving for it.

When this craving hits, I go for this super-fast and easy to make blackened shrimp pasta.

This particular recipe is full of flavor and does not particularly require a lot of work making it quite efficient.

Things to keep in mind

Learn How to thicken Pasta Sauce. Here

Fresh shrimp is the best for this recipe but in case it is not readily available to you, you can use frozen shrimp.

I also prefer using smaller pieces of shrimp because they tend to distribute throughout the pasta better.

This recipe works well with any shape of pasta. I used angel hair pasta since that was what I had in my pantry.

I believe the bowtie and penne shapes would also be nice. The shape of the pasta is not such a big deal.

If you are going for a less spicy taste, simply reduce the cayenne pepper by half but if you like your pasta spicy, add some more cayenne pepper.

Here is how you can make your own black shrimp and pasta.

INGREDIENTS

Blackening seasoning ingredients

1 teaspoon of thyme

½ teaspoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of oregano

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of onion powder

¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon of garlic powder

Freshly cracked pepper

Shrimp pasta ingredients

A handful of fresh parsley

½ lb. peeled and deveined shrimp

½ lb. pasta

2 tablespoons of butter

2 cloves of garlic

¼ tablespoon of salt

3 sliced onions

15 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes

1 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine your blackening seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.

Rinse your shrimp under cool water, drain it and then pat it with a paper towel.

Sprinkle the blackening seasoning on the shrimp and stir to coat

In a large pot, heat water for your pasta and bring it to boil. Once it boils, add your pasta and cook it until it is tender.

Once tender, reserve one cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander. Set it aside.

Mince the garlic and add it to a large skillet with the butter. Heat it over a medium flame until the butter starts to foam and sizzle.

Sauté the garlic in the sizzling butter for about one minute.

Add the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes until they are slightly firm then remove from the large skillet.

In the same skillet, add the diced tomatoes and half a cup of the pasta water.

Cook it over medium heat while stirring and let it simmer for 10 minutes until it is slightly thickened. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss it to combine with the sauce then add the shrimp and stir to combine.

Sprinkle the sliced green onion and chopped parsley on top. Serve with sliced lemon to squeeze over top and enjoy!

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