Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes and Garlic
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A simple spicy shrimp pasta that’s perfect for the summertime! Similar to the shrimp fra diavolo you get at Italian restaurants, this recipe is made with lots of garlic and cherry tomatoes bursting with summer goodness. A simple pasta dinner that’s sure to please everyone!
Here’s the deal. This beautiful Spicy Shrimp Pasta recipe has summer 2016 written all over it. It’s saucy, garlicky, loaded with fresh seafood, and it’s delicious. And yes, it’s a close relative to the Shrimp Fra Diavolo you find at your favorite Italian restaurants, minus the anchovies.
This is that quick pasta dinner that’s fancy enough to serve to your guests but still quick enough to pull together on a weeknight when you have a screaming toddler attached to your left leg and a project, which you’re heading, due the next morning. Plus, how amazing are carbs. And if you’re obsessed with garlic the way we are, you may want a big hunk of garlic bread on the side. It’s feel good food, y’all! ❤️❤️❤️
Like most of the pasta recipes you see on the blog, this one has just a few ingredients but a big punch of flavor. ?????? No need to go out for your spicy shrimp pasta fix! Make it at home, I promise you, it’s soooooooo much better.
SPICY SHRIMP PASTA (56 SEC.)
It starts with a simple homemade seafood stock. And I know what you’re thinking — this is going to take forever! Oh but friends, it’s a simple stock with garlic, a few sprigs of parsley, a couple of peppercorns and those leftover shrimp peels that are absolutely useless otherwise. And it takes just 10 simple minutes <<clap hands>>. This a little teeny tiny restaurant technique to make the full use out of those shrimp peels. YES you could use chicken broth but YES homemade shrimp broth makes this spicy shrimp pasta so much for flavorful
And now! That garlic and tomato sauce situation. I’m using a total of 6 cloves of garlic in 1 dish. Friends this is REAL LIFE pasta. It’s saucy, it’s filling, it’s garlicky, it’s LOVE. The garlic has a few minutes head start with the red pepper flakes to help infuse the olive oil so the flavor of spice and garlic is found throughout the dish. And then hit it with that stock we just made, and bam! All those things we love about summer, the heat, the spice, it’s all there. Once you add the fresh cherry tomatoes and allow them to simmer down into the most delicious sauce, you’ll know why spicy shrimp pasta is one of my favorite ways to eat shrimp.
Now that you’re all excited about that mind-blowing slow-simmered spicy tomato and garlic sauce, let me tell you how quick and easy this dinner really is.
While you’ve got the stock being made in the saucepan, get the pasta water going too. This will make your workflow easy and will get the dinner on the table FAST. Strain the stock and have it ready to go and get working on that spicy tomato sauce. Sizzle the garlic and red pepper flakes, add the stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil and let it simmer, covered for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up your pasta water should be ready too! Toss the pasta into the pot of boiling water, continue to simmer the sauce for 5 minutes uncovered and then add the shrimp and cook it for another 3-4 minutes. Drain the pasta and into the spicy garlic tomato sauce it goes. TOSS. TOSS. Add parmesan and parsley and serve! That’s it!
It’s fast, it’s practical, and there’s garlic. Check, check and check. And let me also say that my spicy shrimp pasta has been tested, retested, and given 2 big thumbs up by one garlic-loving husband.
Skip the takeout, grab a pound of shrimp, a fistful of pasta, and a head of garlic.
Let’s do this!
Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (with peels reserved)
- 2 cups water
- a few sprigs of parsley, plus more for garnishing
- 3-4 whole peppercorns
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can san marzano style diced tomatoes
- ½ -1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)
- 8 ounces linguine, capellini, or spaghetti
- parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- SHRIMP STOCK: Combine the shrimp peels, water, parsley, peppercorns, and 2 whole cloves of garlic, along with a big pinch of salt in a stockpot. Allow the stock to come to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the stock through a strainer, reserve 1 cup of the stock.
- PASTA: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, and cook the pasta minus 1-2 minutes from the package directions, drain and set aside.
- ASSEMBLY: In a sautepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Slice the remaining 4 cloves of garlic into slices. Add the garlic along with the red pepper flakes to the oil and allow the garlic to sizzle for about 1 minute. Add ¾ cup of shrimp stock and let come to a simmer before adding in cherry tomato halves along with the diced tomatoes. When he tomato sauce starts to boil, add in a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cover, lower the heat to low and allow the sauce to cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, raise the heat back to medium and continue to cook the sauce for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the shrimp and let the shrimp cook through, about 3-4 minutes. Check for seasonings, season with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Add the prepared pasta and toss. If the sauce it too thick, you can add a little bit of the remaining shrimp stock to thin. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
- I sometimes like to squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top just before serving. The freshness really makes the flavor of the shrimp POP.
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7 Comments on “Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes and Garlic”
Absolutely delicious but anyone add a little bit of scallions to it
Delicious! My family was asking for it again and commented with how good it was. Even my picky nephew!
Only thing is that I think it would have better if the sauce was thicker. Maybe I did something wrong!
Made this last night while the husband assembled a trampoline for our kiddos. It was a great reward! I’d never made shrimp stock before but it really infused the flavor into the tomato sauce. Thanks for the tip! This recipe is a keeper. Used fresh basil instead of parsley since that’s what I had, but I think I’m going to always do that. It’s delucious!
This was outstanding! I added 2 halibut fillets and only had canned diced tomatoes, and I always substitute 100% whole wheat pasta — kids can’t tell the difference. Wonderful!
Delicious. Yummy
This is very good. Nice Sunday or lent meal.
Tried this recipe today and it was amazing!! I love spice so I was heavy handed with the red pepper flakes, and I also added some fresh roasted red peppers. Thank you so much for showing how to make the shrimp stock, now I don’t have to be afraid of home made stock lol! Great recipe, will be making again soon 🙂