This creamy spicy shrimp pasta skillet is the perfect quick pasta recipe. This flavorful tomato cream shrimp pasta is loaded with bold flavors and a spicy kick. Better yet? This bold shrimp pasta recipe comes together in 30 minutes at a fraction of the price of restaurant seafood pasta.
I love a good pasta dinner. But sometimes I get sick of my standards and like to switch things up a bit. This creamy spicy shrimp pasta skillet is my pasta dinner of choice on nights when I’m feeling like something a little different but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.
And even though this shrimp pasta recipe is easy enough to whip up even on the busiest of nights it feels special enough to serve to company.
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A One Pan Winner- Spicy Shrimp Pasta Skillet
This spicy creamy shrimp pasta skillet is a one skillet meal, meaning it’s not only easy to prepare but clean up is a breeze. Ok, so if we are going to get technical you do need a pot to boil your pasta in as well, but still.
That’s nothing. And you don’t need to dirty a lot of specialty tools to prepare this because there’s not a lot that goes into the preparation. Even without a lot of muss and fuss the result is a restaurant quality shrimp pasta dinner that everyone will rave about.
How to Make Spicy Creamy Shrimp Pasta
Making this spicy creamy shrimp pasta is so easy. Start by boiling a large pot of water and cooking rotini or another similarly sized noodle according to the directions on the package.
While you are waiting for the pasta, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook them until they are pink, about a minute per side. Remove them from the skillet and set them aside.
Then add the rest of your oil to the skillet. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them until they are softened over medium high heat. This takes about 5 minutes. Then you can add your garlic and cook it for an additional minute.
Now you can add 24 ounces of marinara sauce, some heavy cream, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Let it cook until it bubbles, then add the shrimp and toss with the pasta. Then dinner is done!
What if I don’t want this shrimp pasta to be spicy?
If you don’t love a lot of spice, you can still enjoy this tomato cream shrimp pasta. To adjust the recipe to suit more mild tastes, don’t add the red pepper flakes and adjust the amount of garlic.
If, on the other hand, you love spicy food, feel free to add more red pepper or garlic to this pasta recipe. You could also add a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning for an extra spicy kick.
Tips and Tricks to Making the Most Flavorful Shrimp Pasta
This creamy spicy shrimp pasta is pretty foolproof, but you can follow these suggestions to make it really suit your tastes and be the yummiest shrimp pasta you’ve ever had:
- Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce or use homemade marinara sauce. I have a delicious recipe for crockpot marinara sauce and love to make extra to keep on hand for recipes like this.
- While the recipe doesn’t call for cheese, you can definitely up the creaminess by stirring in some grated Parmesan cheese.
- Make sure you use large shrimp. Avoid the small salad shrimp. They will overcook and get lost in the pasta. Go for at least the shrimp that is 31-35 shrimp per pound or better yet, use the size up from that 26-30 count per pound.
With this creamy spicy shrimp pasta, you can enjoy restaurant quality seafood pasta with a fraction of the cost. Make this delicious pasta tonight!
Other Seafood & Pasta Recipes You Might Love
As much as I love making this spicy shrimp pasta, I also enjoy these other seafood pasta dishes:
- Gnocchi Shrimp Scampi
- Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Creamed Spinach Tortellini with Seasoned Shrimp
- One Pot Jambalaya Pasta
If you’ve tried this Spicy Creamy Shrimp Pasta Skillet, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Spicy Shrimp & Tomato Cream Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 1/2 medium white onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 16 oz rotini pasta cooked according to the package directions
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat.
- Once the oil's hot, add the pepper flakes and shrimp. Cook the shrimp quickly, about a minute per side.
- Don't overcook the shrimp, quickly remove them from the skillet and set them aside on a waiting plate.
- Add the onion and remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Cook them over medium high heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.
- Once the onions are nice and tender, stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the sauce, cream, and seasoning. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it bubble for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a pot, and add the cooked shrimp plus and juices & the cooked pasta.
- Toss everything together until evenly combined.
- Serve & enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
mary anderson says
i made it. And everyone like it and want more and more. I made this today for lunch. It was a hit with us
thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe of shrimp pasta
4sonsrus says
So glad everyone liked it. We tend to make it for dinner, but it would be an easy & very filling lunch.
Lulu says
I made it! Soooo good! Next time I think I’ll add more pepper/garlic and a bit of Cajun seasoning to kick up the spice. Also, maybe 12 oz of pasta instead of the whole pound. Wasn’t enough sauce for my liking. Excellent recipe though!
Lulu says
I made this for dinner tonight.Soooo good! Next time I think I’ll add more pepper/garlic and a bit of Cajun seasoning to up the spiciness. Also, maybe 12 oz of pasta instead of the whole pound. Wasn’t enough sauce for my liking. Excellent recipe though!