This Spicy Shrimp Scampi Pasta is a garlicky, buttery, lemony bowl with a real hit of heat, and it comes together in about 20 minutes. The shrimp get a quick spice rub, then a fast sear until pink and just cooked through. After that they go into a glossy butter-and-garlic sauce loaded with red pepper flakes, tomato paste, fresh lemon, and a big handful of parmigiano-reggiano, all tossed with spaghetti and a splash of starchy pasta water to pull it together.
If you love a good pasta dish, but are craving a little spice, then this spicy shrimp scampi pasta recipe is perfect for you. The spice rub on the shrimp does a lot of the flavour work upfront and then you can dial up the heat with the red pepper flakes if you prefer more. Want more spicy dishes? Try my Spicy Peanut Cucumber Salad and Spicy Pasta Alla Vodka with Pesto.
😍 Why You’ll Love This Spicy Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe
Ready in about 20 minutes: the shrimp cook in minutes and the sauce comes together in the same pan while your pasta finishes.
Big, garlicky butter flavour: six cloves of fresh garlic melt into salted butter and olive oil for a sauce that tastes richer than you’d expect.
Heat you control: the red pepper flakes bring the spice, so you can go full tablespoon for a real kick or pull back for something milder.
Looks impressive, takes no skill: a glossy, restaurant-style pasta that pulls together with one pan and a bowl.
🦐 Ingredients You’ll Need To Make This Shrimp Scampi Recipe
For the shrimp:
Olive oil: used three ways here — a little in the marinade, a touch to sear them, and a little in the sauce.
Shrimp: peeled and deveined, they cook in just a couple of minutes and soak up all that spice from the rub.
Garlic powder: adds savoury depth.
Onion powder: rounds out the rub with a mellow, savoury sweetness.
Paprika: brings warm colour and a gentle smoky note.
Chili powder: adds an earthy layer of spice to the rub.
Salt: seasons the shrimp directly.
Pepper: a little freshly cracked pepper to season the shrimp.
Everything else you’ll need:
Spaghetti: the classic choice here, with just enough surface for the buttery sauce to cling to.
Reserved pasta water: that starchy, salty water is what loosens and thickens the sauce.
Salted butter: melts down with the garlic into a rich and glossy sauce.
Garlic: fried gently in the butter so they turn sweet and fragrant without burning.
Parmigiano-reggiano: finely grated and stirred through at the end for a salty, nutty finish.
Tomato paste: gets whisked into the butter for a subtle tang and a deeper colour.
Lemon juice: a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten the whole bowl and cut through the butter.
Lemon zest: stirred in for a punch of fresh citrus aroma.
Fresh parsley: for colour and a fresh, green lift.
Red pepper flakes: use the full tablespoon if you like it spicy, or three-quarters for something gentler.
✔ How To Make Spicy Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, drain, and set aside until ready to use. Be sure to save at least 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.
Prepare your shrimp.To a medium sized bowl add the shrimp along with all of the other shrimp ingredients and mix well.
Let the shrimp marinade while you chop and prepare the garlic, parmigiano-reggiano, lemon zest, and parsley. Set aside until ready to use.
To a large frying pan, add the oil to fry the shrimp and set to medium/high heat. Pan fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, just until bright pink and no longer translucent.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
To the same pan set to low/medium heat add the butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and let fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, and using a whisk continuously stir until well combined, about 1 minute.
Return the shrimp to the pan, along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, cooked pasta, knob of butter and parmigiano-reggiano.
🤝 Sammy’s Tips for Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- A knob of butter is about 1 tbsp of butter and helps to add a bit of creaminess to the pasta.
Begin by gently mixing together on low heat adding in 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time until everything is well combined and the sauce begins to slightly thicken. You may need to use up to 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Serve right away!
🗒 Variations
Extra heat: bump up the red pepper flakes or add a spoonful of Calabrian chili paste to the butter for a deeper spice.
Creamier sauce: splash in a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream or an extra knob of butter at the end for a richer finish.
Add some veg: toss in halved cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, or asparagus tips while the garlic cooks for a little colour and freshness.
Switch the protein: swap the shrimp for seared scallops or sliced chicken if that’s what you have on hand.
🗒 Substitutions
Shrimp: scallops or thin strips of chicken both work well — just adjust the cook time so they’re fully cooked through.
Spaghetti: linguine, fettuccine, or bucatini all hold this sauce nicely.
Parmigiano-reggiano: pecorino romano is a great stand-in for a similar salty, nutty finish.
Fresh parsley: fresh basil can be folded in instead for a slightly sweeter, more aromatic herb note.
Red pepper flakes: a chopped fresh chili or a pinch of cayenne will give you that heat if you’re out of flakes.
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or warm it in a pan with a splash of olive oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring until heated through. A little extra pasta water or a knob of butter helps loosen the sauce back up.
🤔 FAQ’s
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes, just thaw them fully and pat them dry before adding the spice rub. Any extra moisture will steam the shrimp instead of searing them.
How do I keep the shrimp from getting rubbery?
Shrimp cook fast, so pull them as soon as they turn bright pink and opaque — usually 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Why do I need to save the pasta water?
That starchy, salted water is what brings the sauce together. Adding it a little at a time loosens the butter and parm into a glossy sauce that actually coats the spaghetti instead of sitting at the bottom of the pan.
How spicy is this?
With a full tablespoon of red pepper flakes plus the chili powder in the rub, it has a real kick. Drop the flakes to three-quarters of a tablespoon for something milder, or leave them out entirely if you’d rather keep it gentle.
Can I make it ahead?
Pasta dishes like this are best fresh, since the sauce tightens as it sits. If you want to get ahead, cook the spaghetti and prep the shrimp rub and chopped ingredients earlier in the day, then do the actual cooking right before serving.
👩🍳 Hungry For More?
If you loved this spicy shrimp scampi pasta recipe, then make sure to check out a few of my other recipes you may also love:
- Fried Garlic Sambuca Shrimp
- Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
- Bowtie Pasta with Shrimp & Creamy Rosè
- Creamy Shrimp Orzo with Asparagus and Peas
- Spicy Pasta Alla Vodka with Pesto
- Spicy Penne Rosé with Sausage & Spinach
💌 Let’s Stay Connected
Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this spicy shrimp scampi pasta recipe with fresh tomatoes (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.
Spicy Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Ingredients
Shrimp:
- 1 tsp olive oil, to fry the shrimp
- 1/2 tsp olive oil, for the shrimp marinade
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Everything else you'll need:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400 grams spaghetti,
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup butter, salted
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
- 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes, optional, you can also use 3/4 tbsp if you want it less spicy
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, drain, and set aside until ready to use. Be sure to save at least 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.
- Prepare your shrimp.To a medium sized bowl add the shrimp along with all of the other shrimp ingredients and mix well.
- Let the shrimp marinade while you chop and prepare the garlic, parmigiano-reggiano, lemon zest, and parsley.Set aside until ready to use.
- To a large frying pan, add the oil to fry the shrimp and set to medium/high heat.Pan fry the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, just until bright pink and no longer translucent.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan set to low/medium heat add the butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil.Once melted, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and let fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, and using a whisk continuously stir until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Return the shrimp to the pan, along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, cooked pasta, knob of butter and parmigiano-reggiano.Sammy's tip: a knob of butter is about 1 tbsp of butter and helps to add a bit of creaminess to the pasta.
- Begin by gently mixing together on low heat adding in 1/4 cup of pasta water at a time until everything is well combined and the sauce begins to slightly thicken.You may need to use up to 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Serve right away!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made it, and loved it! This recipe is so great. It’s super easy and great for a weeknight dinner. It also tastes delicious the next day. Highly recommend.
I tried it! Delicious. Used chicken instead of shrimp because my family would call the police if I tried to feed them shrimp lol.
10/10+!!!
Made this and it was easy and delicious!
That is so awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing! xo
Banger 👌
Delicious and very easy to make.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I am happy you enjoyed it! -Sammy
My husband and I love this recipe and have made it a couple of times. It was actually the first meal we made in our new home and it did not disappoint. Thanks for all the great recipes, Sammy, and the hilarious and helpful insta content. You’re the best!
Hi Danielle! Well thank you SO much for being here. So glad you guys enjoyed this one. Also, congrats on the new home! xo – Sammy
So flavorful and simple to make!
This is definitely going into our regular rotation! I like a recipe that has ingredients that I usually have on hand. And it was delicious. I used a protein pasta, just because I need the extra protein. I also appreciated that I could easily change the number of servings.