Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Zucchini and Garlic Herb Butter

This spicy shrimp pasta brings together tender shellfish, browned zucchini and thinly sliced chili pepper for a simple dish with a lively kick.

Garlic herb butter, Parmesan and a little reserved pasta water turn everything into a loose, glossy sauce that clings to every bite.

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Ingredients

6 ounce PastaView 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

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the zucchini and chili pepper. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
3. While the pasta cooks, halve the zucchini lengthwise, then cut it into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. Thinly slice half the chili pepper or use the whole pepper if you want more heat.
4. Rinse the shrimp and pat very dry with paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible.
5. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and sliced chili pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the zucchini is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
6. Push the zucchini to one side of the pan and add another large drizzle of olive oil to the center. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing occasionally, until pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Add the drained pasta, garlic herb butter, half the Parmesan and 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water to the pan. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Toss until the pasta is combined with the shrimp and zucchini and coated in a loose sauce. If the pasta looks dry, add more reserved pasta water as needed, up to the remaining 1/4 cup.
9. Divide the pasta between bowls. Top with the remaining Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Add extra chili pepper to taste for more heat.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How spicy is this shrimp pasta?

The heat depends on how much chili pepper you use. Start with half the pepper for a milder dish or use the whole pepper and add extra at the end for more spice.

How do I know when the shrimp are cooked?

The shrimp are done when they turn pink and are just cooked through, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes in the pan.

What should I do if the pasta seems dry?

Add reserved pasta cooking water a little at a time and toss until the sauce loosens and coats the pasta.