Pasta can pretty much always improve most things in life, we know that for sure. But what can improve pasta? Shrimp, of course! Adding tender, quick-cooking shrimp to your next pot of spaghetti not only provides plenty of lean protein, but it makes a busy weeknight dinner feel a bit fancy. Picking up a bag of shrimp for those super-crazy (or even just lazy) nights will be the best idea you have all week, especially when that means homemade shrimp pad Thai in less than 20 minutes(!).
We know it's not a secret how much we love shrimp scampi. We love it so much, we've got plenty of riffs on the Italian-American classic dish, like our classic garlic shrimp scampi, baked shrimp scampi, and our copycat Cheesecake Factory shrimp scampi. Garlicky, buttery, lemony shrimp tossed with al dente pasta? It's a hard to beat combo.
We've also got plenty of other shrimp + pasta combos that go way beyond scampi alone. Our chicken curry laksa with shrimp is a Southeast Asian noodle soup that gets an added boost of rich umami from shrimp paste. Spaghetti en papillote might be the most delicious present you open all year, while our shrimp kung pao noodles are definitely better than takeout.
Shrimp is also the star of some of our favorite one-skillet meals too. Crazy simple to prepare with a quick cook time, preparing shrimp means you don't have to be a chef of any level to cook up this easy seafood staple. Try our recipes for shrimp & snow pea stir-fry and one-pot shrimp primavera for some wildly fast, delicious dinners with almost no cleanup.
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi is an Italian-American dish that is usually made using plump, pink shrimp served over a heaping bowl of pasta. We added buttery bread crumbs to this dish and think it would go killer over some zoodles.
Get the Classic Shrimp Scampi recipe.
Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir-Fry
This easy stir-fry is the perfect fix for a busy weeknight. Only 5 ingredients and 1 skillet, and you’re on your way!
Get the Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir-Fry recipe.
Lemony Shrimp and Asparagus Spaghetti
Bright yet creamy, cheesy yet fresh-tasting, this is the ultimate summertime pasta dish. Pair this with some white wine sangria!
Get the Lemony Shrimp and Asparagus Spaghetti recipe.
Shrimp Pad Thai
An easy alternative to takeout, our simplified pad Thai recipe is designed to satisfy noodle cravings fast. We skipped some traditional ingredients (such as dried shrimp, tamarind, pressed tofu, and bean sprouts), opting for ones that you can pick up at your local grocery store. Skip the delivery and make it tonight!
Get the Shrimp Pad Thai recipe.
Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo is one of life's greatest comfort foods. It's creamy, cheesy, carb-y, and super, super flavorful. We especially love this version because the shrimp adds lots of extra flavor and some lean protein to boot!
Get the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo recipe.
Creamy Lemon Pepper Shrimp Spaghetti
Spaghetti and meatballs is the classic you've probably turned to a little too often. Switch it up and make this creamy, fresh, lemon pepper shrimp spaghetti that's bursting with flavor.
Get the Creamy Lemon Pepper Shrimp Spaghetti recipe.
Chicken Curry Laksa with Shrimp
Laksa paste is a type of curry paste traditionally found in Southeast Asian cuisine, best known as the flavorful base for the rich and spicy coconut broth soup. Laksa soup traditionally features shrimp, but this recipe can easily be tweaked to become a great chicken curry laksa too.
Get the Chicken Curry Laksa with Shrimp recipe.
Creamy Shrimp Linguine
This linguine with tomatoes, greens, and shrimp in a buttery sauce = bomb. It manages to taste fresh and bright all while being a little decadent too. This is one pasta dinner you'll be glad to have leftovers of.
Get the Creamy Shrimp Linguine recipe.
One-Pot Shrimp Primavera
This loaded fettuccine makes it so easy for you (and your family!) to eat your vegetables. We love adding quick-cooking shrimp to the pot for protein once the pasta is almost al dente.
Get the One-Pot Shrimp Primavera recipe.
Shrimp Kung Pao Noodles
If you're looking for a simple, fast, and delicious dinner, then look no further. These kung pao noodles are super-saucy and have the perfect amount of spice, thanks to sriracha and sweet chili sauce.
Get the Shrimp Kung Pao Noodles recipe.
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
This easy pasta dish is meant to be spicy! "Fra diavalo" translates to "brother devil" in Italian, so you know it means business. You can of course adjust the heat level to your comfort. The sauce and shrimp come together in no time, making this a classic pasta dish staple easy enough for a weeknight, but good enough to serve to guests!
Get the Shrimp Fra Diavolo recipe.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi
This Cheesecake Factory staple is a seafood lover’s dream. The richness of the cream sauce is balanced by the acid of the tomatoes and the herbaceousness of the fresh basil. To top it all off, you'll add some golden bread crumbs to add a bit of crispy texture. Serve with crispy broccoli or an arugula salad, and you have a well-rounded meal.
Get the Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi recipe.
Bruschetta Shrimp Pasta
We took all the fresh flavors of bruschetta and added it to shrimp and pasta. We have a sneaky feeling you're going to be making this satisfying shrimp pasta all summer long.
Get the Bruschetta Shrimp Pasta recipe.
Spaghetti en Papillote
"En papillote" is a technique in which food is placed into a folded parchment paper pouch, then baked, which seriously intensifies flavors. When you steam al dente spaghetti in the oven with sauce and fresh seafood, the pasta is infused with flavor in a way that just doesn't happen when you simply toss everything together.
Get the Spaghetti en Papillote recipe.
Baked Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi is a classic dish, and this baked version makes it even easier. The shrimp gets tossed with plenty of butter, white wine, lemon juice, and garlic, which will make your kitchen smell like an Italian kitchen. Bread crumbs also get sprinkled on top for that extra crunch we all love.
Get the Baked Shrimp Scampi recipe.
Shrimp Drunken Noodles
We're drunk in love with this pasta dish. The wider the rice noodle, the better for this recipe: They soak up the sweet, tangy sauce and plenty of chili crisp.
Get the Shrimp Drunken Noodles recipe.
Shrimp Boil Spaghetti
Shrimp boil is a summer staple, but it can be intense to make at home. That's why we've hacked the favorite with these grilled shrimp foil packs and sheet-pan shrimp boil recipe—and now spaghetti. The best part? We add Old Bay to the pasta water so it has a ton of flavor.
Get the Shrimp Boil Spaghetti recipe.
Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti
If you love shrimp scampi (and who doesn't?), look no further than this super-easy recipe. Pro tip: Try to remember to save some pasta water! It'll help the whole situation become a bit more saucy.
Get the Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti recipe.
Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara
We love any kind of carbonara, which is why we didn't stop at just our classic carbonara and chicken carbonara. Naturally, we decided to make make our favorite silky pasta even more delicious by adding buttery shrimp.
Get the Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara recipe.
Seafood Spaghetti
This is not your ordinary weeknight pasta. It's a special occasion pasta, but it couldn't be easier to cook up for a date night. Our seafood of choice is scallops and shrimp because of their similar cook times, but feel free to use clams, mussels, lobster, or crab.
Get the Seafood Spaghetti recipe.
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