Spicy Garlic Butter Shrimp Spaghetti with Zucchini

If you love a little heat with your pasta, this spicy shrimp spaghetti is about to become your new favorite weeknight dinner. Succulent shrimp are pan-seared with zucchini and fresh chili, then tossed with al dente spaghetti in a luscious garlic herb butter sauce. A generous sprinkle of Parmesan ties it all together.

This dish comes together in just 20 minutes, making it ideal for busy evenings when you crave something satisfying but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. Feel free to adjust the amount of chili to suit your spice tolerance-use the whole pepper for a fiery kick or just a slice for a milder warmth.

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Ingredients

6 ounce SpaghettiView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chili PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ShrimpView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Garlic Herb ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
2. While the pasta cooks, wash and dry the produce. Trim the zucchini, halve it lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch half-moons. Thinly slice the chili pepper. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat very dry with paper towels.
3. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and as much sliced chili as you like. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Push the zucchini mixture to one side of the pan and add another drizzle of olive oil to the empty side. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until opaque and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the drained spaghetti, garlic herb butter, half of the Parmesan (reserve the rest for serving) and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss everything together until well combined. If the pasta seems dry, add more reserved cooking water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
6. Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with any remaining sliced chili to taste and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, just thaw them completely and pat dry before cooking.

What can I substitute for garlic herb butter?

You can use regular butter mixed with minced garlic and dried herbs like parsley or oregano.

How do I make this dish less spicy?

Use only a small piece of chili pepper or omit it entirely. You can also add a splash of cream to mellow the heat.