Blackened Shrimp and Pasta – A completely satisfying combination of blackened shrimp and pasta in a spicy flavorful sauce. Ready in 30 minutes. Good enough for date night or entertaining.
If you are struggling to get dinner on the table on weeknights then here is your solution. In my household, it gets pretty hectic sometimes and it’s so hard to find time to cook a decent meal on a weeknight. And this blackened shrimp and pasta fits the bill- not a whole lot of cooking but with tons of flavor.
Not only that it’s great for busy weeknights, but it’s also fantastic for a dinner date night with your partner. Yep! It’s as good as those you order at a fancy restaurant. No kidding! Not convinced? Read on.
What is Blackening?
Blackening is the Southern cooking technique of adding tons of flavor to fish, chicken, or any protein. In this case, it’s shrimp with very minimal effort (See my Blackened Salmon or Blackened Chicken HERE). Nothing fancy. And no special ingredients needed. In fact, I bet you already have the spices somewhere in your pantry.
And if you don’t, you can always grab them at your local supermarket. This Blackened Seasoning is a blend of spices with a Cajun flair. If you don’t have this Homemade Blackened Seasoning HERE, you can also use a store-bought or my homemade Creole Cajun Seasoning HERE. As always, these spices can be reused over and over again. So don’t worry if you get a bottle of it coz it’ll be useful in your culinary journey.
The Shrimp Pasta Sauce
Now that you know what kind of spice is the star of the show, let’s go ahead and talk about the rest of the shrimp pasta sauce ingredients. Just a heads up, the list may appear that long, but most of them are already sitting in your pantry. We’re talking about…
- Olive or canola oil
- Sliced onion (see How to Cut Onions post)
- Minced Garlic (see How to Mince Garlic post)
- Thyme, parsley
- Smoked paprika
- Creole Seasoning or this Blackened Seasoning
- Worcestershire sauce
- Red or green bell pepper
- Chicken broth
My son doesn’t care that much for shrimp so I give it an extra kick. Knowing fully well he’s not going to touch it. But with the sauce, I don’t include any hot pepper so he can go for seconds and thirds if he desires. There is still a little kick from sauteing the shrimp. But I think he can handle it.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Shrimp?
Either fresh or frozen shrimp works for this Blackened Shrimp and Pasta recipe. But the downside with using frozen shrimp is that you have to thaw them first overnight in the refrigerator before you can season it with the spice.
What to Serve with Blackened Shrimp Pasta?
No matter how you put it together it’s a flavor combo that is impossible to resist. I couldn’t stop popping these shrimp in my mouth. You wouldn’t either. For this recipe, you can use either pasta- spaghetti or fettuccine. They all work. Also, you can omit the shrimp, and just use sausage or any protein.
Pro Tip: Before you make the sauce start by boiling the pasta according to your packet instructions. So it will be ready at the same time as the sauce.
Other than pasta, you can also serve the following below for a sumptuous family dinner!
- Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob
- Grilled or sauteed veggies
- Homemade Garlic Bread
- Homemade Breadsticks
More Shrimp Pasta Recipes
Wanna explore other shrimp and pasta recipes? I’ve got loads for you. Enjoy!
How To Make Blackened Shrimp Pasta
Start by boiling pasta in a large pot, according to box instructions. Drain and set aside. Generously season the shrimp with blackened spices and salt to taste. Heat oil/butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch. Sauté for about 3 -5 minutes shrimp set aside. Add onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir for about a minute. Then add thyme, paprika, Creole, or blackened spice, followed by bell peppers, chicken broth, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring it to a boil then simmer for about 7-10 minutes.
Mixed pasta or fettuccine. And toss with shrimp or serve blackened shrimp on top. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Watch How To Make It
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This recipe was first published in June 2016 and has been updated with a video and a narrative.
Blackened Shrimp And Pasta
Ingredients
Blackened Shrimp
- 1 pound medium shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½-1 teaspoon oregano , flaked
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
Pasta and Sauce
- 8 ounce spaghetti or fettuccine
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 2-3 medium tomatoes , diced
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Creole spice or blackened spice
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup or more chicken broth
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley , for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Start by boiling pasta in a large pot, according to box instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Generously season the shrimp with blackened spices and salt to taste. Heat oil/butter over medium heat in a heavy bottomed Dutch.
- Sauté for about 3 -5 minutes shrimp set aside.
- Add onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir for about a minute. Then add thyme, paprika, Creole or blackened spice, followed by bell peppers, chicken broth, salt, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring it to a boil then simmer for about 7-10 minutes.
- Mixed pasta or fettuccine . And toss with shrimp or serve blackened shrimp on top. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- Leave the cayenne pepper when making your very own Creole seasoning, if you don't want any heat in this shrimp pasta recipe.
- You can use any type of pasta for this recipe.
- Feel free to swap shrimp with sausage or any protein.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Audra says
Tried this tonight my prep time was 20 minutes. Loved the way everything turned out. Added a little extra bang. Will fix this again.
imma africanbites says
Glad it turned out great for you, Audra! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Priscilla says
I just tried the blackened shrimp and pasta, and I am not a big shrimp eater but it was delicious. I loved the fact that I had all the ingredients on hand. Thank you for this wonderful meal!
imma africanbites says
Yaay! Glad you find it delicious, Priscilla! This pasta is sure a hit. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Tom Bye says
I’ve probably posted this before. Simply amazing. My wife has Alzheimer’s and this is now on our monthly calendar of planned meals. I look forward to it. Reminded me of a recipe from a restaurant 30+ years ago that I’ve been trying to recreate. Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
So happy to hear it worked out well. Thanks for taking the time to share feedback.
Alex says
Thank you for sharing.
Karen bray says
I have made it 2 times now!! Excellent!!! My whole family loves it! I did add a little oregano and sriracha to the sauce. The 1st time I made this I used 1 tsp of cayenne and linguine pasta. 2nd time around I scaled back on the cayenne at my daughters request (lol) and used whole wheat spaghetti. Both were great. Can’t wait to make again.
Thanks for sharing this delightful spicy dish.
ImmaculateBites says
My Pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Will says
Made it for lunch today the family loved it .
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!!
Amy says
Great recipe and beautiful pictures! I love Pasta! and I love the combination of paprika and garlic powder! Where can I get creole spice?
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks! At most major supermarkets. It’s definitely available at walmart
cherry and wayne martin says
Will be trying this on my husband he just loves the spices
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for giving it a try. Do let me know how it works out.
Carie Phou says
Your recipe look awesome!!! I wanna make it for my family and just what to know what is creole spice? What can I substitute with? Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Carie. It is a combination of dried spices(garlic, oregano, pepper,paprika, onion and pepper ). Just add a little of each and adjust as you go.
Marissa says
What a mouthwatering combination! This is a MUST TRY – the flavors and textures are perfect…
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Marissa!
gloria patterson says
I sure wish I had shrimp in my freezer right this minute. This looks so mouthwatering…….
Nothing like a cast iron skillet
ImmaculateBites says
That’s right! It is my one of my best kitchen gadgets.
Therese says
Just made this….very tasty! Thanks again for another great recipe!!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Therese! So happy to hear you liked this one too.
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says
I have a big bag of ginormormous shrimp in the freezer that are just begging to be transformed into this!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest says
Pass me a plate! That looks phenomenal! Love the mix of spices you’ve used too!
Kathrina says
This looks so very delicious! I’m really hungry now, and lucky for me, I’ve got some shrimp in the freezer! I think I know what’s for dinner tonight!
Doris says
Oh My! This was amazing! Loved the spice, how the flavors came together and the ease it was to make. It was a hit that kept them coming back for more. Thanks for posting!