Calabrian Chili Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Updated Jan 05, 2025, Published on Sep 25, 2023
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If you're in the mood for a pasta dish that's bold, spicy, and bursting with flavor, look no further than this Calabrian Chili Shrimp Scampi Pasta. This dish combines the classic flavors of shrimp scampi with a flavorful spice from the Calabrian chili paste. Not to mention, this dish comes together in under 30 minutes including prep time! Just get the water boiling for your pasta while you prep your ingredients and everything comes together so quickly.
Recipe Ingredients
Calabrian Chili Butter:
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened: Butter is the backbone of the sauce that coats the pasta and shrimp.
- 1 tbsp Calabrian Chili Paste: The star of the show! Calabrian chili paste delivers a spicy punch with a hint of sweetness and lots of complexity. This stuff can be pretty spicy so adjust the amount to suit your spice preference.
- 1/2 tsp Salt: Taste the butter after mixing together and adjust the salt as needed.
Other Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb Pasta (e.g., spaghetti): Choose your favorite pasta, but spaghetti works beautifully for this dish.
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup White Wine: The white wine adds acidity and depth to the sauce, and if you prefer, chicken broth can be a great substitute. I like using a dry white wine that I would drink as well.
- 1 lb Large Raw Shrimp (shell-on): You can also use shell-off shrimp if you prefer.
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (additional to serve): Lemon juice brightens up the dish
- 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped: Fresh parsley adds a burst of freshness and color
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter: This final pat of butter enriches the sauce, making it velvety and glossy.
Recipe Instructions
Calabrian Chili Butter: In a small bowl, blend together the softened butter, Calabrian chili paste, and salt. Set aside to use for the shrimp and the pasta!
Other Instructions:
- Start by cooking your pasta to al dente. Drain it, return it to the pot, and toss it with 2 tablespoons of the Calabrian chili butter. You can start this process while preparing your other ingredients to make this recipe even faster.
- In a large sauté pan, heat up olive oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Calabrian chili butter over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, stirring often.
- Pour in the white wine (or chicken broth) and let it simmer for 3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the alcohol to cook off.
- Now, introduce the star of the show—the raw shrimp. Arrange them in an even layer and let them cook for 3 minutes. Then, give them a flip and cook for another 2 minutes until they turn beautifully pink.
- Toss in the chopped fresh parsley and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Give it all a good stir to combine the flavors.
- To make the sauce even more luxurious, stir in that final pat of cold butter. It'll melt into the sauce and thicken everything up.
- Season to your liking with additional salt if needed. Now, it's time to plate!
- Divide the pasta with Calabrian chili butter among bowls, top it with those perfectly cooked shrimp, and ladle the flavorful sauce over the top. Don't forget to add a final drizzle of lemon juice for that extra burst of freshness.
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This Calabrian Chili Shrimp Scampi Pasta may become a new weeknight favorite. It's extremely flavorful, spicy, and QUICK/EASY to make.
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Calabrian Chili Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
Calabrian Chili Butter
- 4 tablespoon Butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian Chili Paste, use more or less based on spice preference
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Other Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Pasta, I used spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup White Wine, dry; can use chicken broth instead
- 1 lb Large Raw Shrimp, I used shell-on shrimp
- 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice, additional to serve
- 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Butter
Instructions
Calabrian Chili Butter
- In a small bowl, combine the 4 tbsp of softened butter, Calabrian chili paste, and salt. Mix until well combined into a paste.
Other Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain, return to the pot, and toss with 2 tbsp of the Calabrian chili butter.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil and the other 2 tbsp of the Calabrian chili butter in a large high-rimmed sauté pan over medium heat until melted.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the raw shrimp in an even layer. Cook for 3 minutes then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped fresh parsley, lemon juice, and stir to combine. Finally stir in 1 tbsp of cold butter to thicken up the sauce. Season as desired with additional salt.
- Divide the pasta with Calabrian chili butter among bowls. Top with the shrimp and sauce. Serve with additional lemon juice as desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So yummy! I typically make the same shrimp scampi recipe, but this got me out of my rut. Classic shrimp scampi vibe with a kick! Super easy to make, so it’s a great weeknight meal.