This One-Pot Shrimp Pasta recipe so simple and flavorful. The pasta is actually cooked IN the tomato sauce, then tender shrimp is added and cooked to tender perfection. Seafood pasta doesn’t get more satisfying than this!
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Pasta Recipe
- So flavorful. One of the things I love most about this recipe? The pasta is actually cooked IN the sauce. The pasta absorbs a ton of flavor from the sauce, so it’s infused with rich, tomato-y goodness.
- Creamy (sans cream!). As the pasta cooks, it releases starches into the sauce, thickening it and making it nice and “creamy” with no need for added dairy.
- Perfectly cooked shrimp. The shrimp is added towards the end of the cooking time and only needs a few minutes to cook to tender perfection.
- All in one pot. I love a good one-pot recipe. It makes it easier to keep track of what’s going on in the kitchen and cleanup is SO much easier.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll need to make this shrimp pasta. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list of ingredients.
- Butter – I like using salted butter for a more flavorful sauce.
- Olive oil – You could use avocado oil or another neutral cooking oil of your choosing. Extra butter would also do the trick.
- Yellow onion – A white or red onion will also work. So would a couple of shallots.
- Garlic – Garlic paste would also work (see the back of the tube for how much to use instead of 3 garlic cloves). You can also use a teaspoon or so of garlic powder instead.
- Tomato sauce – I used “Bertolli Reserva Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelized Onions Sauce.” But, you don’t need to use that specific kind. Feel free to use your favorite pasta sauce.
- Chicken broth – Vegetable broth will also work. I use a low-sodium broth, so I have more control over the final flavor of the dish.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – I used 1 teaspoon, but you could use more or less depending on your spice preference.
- Linguine – While other pasta recipes are flexible in terms of what pasta shape you use, I suggest sticking with linguini here. If you do choose to go with a different pasta shape, just note that you may need to cook it for a bit longer and/or add a bit more liquid to the pot.
- Shrimp – I prefer peeled and deveined shrimp for convenience, but you can grab peel-on shrimp, then peel and devein them yourself.
- Fresh parsley – The parsley is an optional garnish. I love the pop of color and freshness it brings.
How to Make Shrimp Pasta
Got your ingredients? Time to start cooking! Here’s a basic rundown of how to make one of the best shrimp pasta recipes you’ve ever had:
- Caramelize the onions. Melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed inch skillet. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic 5 minutes before the onions are done.
- Make it saucy. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, and crushed red pepper.
- Cook the pasta. Add the linguine, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the shrimp. 3-5 minutes before the pasta is done, stir in the shrimp and cook until opaque.
- Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.
Variation Ideas
- Use a different protein. If you’re not a shrimp person, feel free to swap it out for some cooked, cubed chicken or steak. Grilled scallops would also be amazing.
- Craving some veg? Add a handful of sliced mushrooms or zucchini to the skillet about halfway through caramelizing the onions. Or, add a handful or two of baby spinach just after you add the shrimp.
- Make it extra creamy. If you prefer a creamier tomato sauce, leave out 1/2 cup of broth and stir an equal amount of heavy cream into the sauce just before adding the pasta.
Tips for Success
- Pick the right pot. I used a large 10-inch skillet with a tall rim. You want the pasta to have plenty of room to wiggle so that it cooks evenly in the sauce. I also suggest using something with a nice, heavy bottom. If your skillet/pot is too thin, the pasta will cook unevenly and will likely burn and/or stick to the bottom.
- Break your pasta in half. Trust me. If you try to keep it whole, it won’t fit well in the skillet, and you won’t be able to stir it around properly (see my next point).
- Keep things moving. When cooking the pasta in the sauce, stir frequently to help keep the noodles from sticking together (or to the bottom of the pan).
- Add extra cooking liquid. Keep an eye on the pasta. If it starts to dry out before it’s cooked to al dente, stir in a little extra liquid (stock or water), 1/4-1/2 cup at a time. Continue until the pasta is cooked to your liking.
What Goes With Shrimp Pasta?
I love this simple pasta dish with a light salad and a crusty hunk of bread to mop up the sauce. Toss some simple baby greens with my Greek Salad Dressing and toast up a batch of this Epic Stuffed Garlic Bread while your pasta is simmering away.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- Fridge: Once the pasta with shrimp has cooled completely, seal it in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Allow your leftovers to thaw in the fridge (if applicable) before reheating them on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can add a little extra broth or water to loosen things up if needed. Otherwise, microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until warm.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
One Pot Shrimp Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 6
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Dinner
Description
I can’t get enough of this one-pot shrimp pasta recipe. The pasta is actually cooked in the rich tomato sauce, making it so flavorful and creamy (without the cream!). It’s so good! And cleanup is a breeze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24 ounce jar) your favorite tomato sauce
- 3 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound linguine, broken in half
- 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined.
- optional – parsley to garnish
Instructions
- In a large (10- inch) skillet over medium heat melt the butter and olive oil together. Add in the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes until the onion are soft and golden brown. The last 5 minutes of cooking add in the garlic, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the Bertolil Sauce, chicken broth and crushed red pepper and stir to combine. Add in the linguine and stir carefully into the sauce. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the sauce it a boil. Once it’s boiling reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce and pasta for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick together.
- When the pasta is almost done add in the shrimp and stir to combine. Allow the shrimp to cook until they are opaque, about 3-5 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired and serve immediately
Notes
If at any point the pasta has absorbed all the liquid and still isn’t cooked add 1/4-1/2 cup more liquid and continue cooking. Occasionally I’ve found different brands of pastas absorb liquid a little differently.
You can use any jarred sauce you prefer. I have used everything from a simple marinara to Bertolli Reserva Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelized Onions Sauce for example, and it is delicious.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 693.1 mg
- Fat: 8.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 54.5 g
- Protein: 48.6 g
- Cholesterol: 251.1 mg
This was a family favorite and made all the time with the Reserva sauce. Truly disappointed that they discontinued making it because it was perfect for the dish! I’m going to try it with Raos and adding a splash of balsamic vinegar, but I don’t know if it’ll be the same ever again lol.
that was the best sauce! I use Rao’s most often and have tried the Carbone sauce too which is really good. That splash of balsamic is a great addition!
This recipe is amazing! I love the way that the caramelized onions blend with the sauce, pasta and shrimp. It was a hit when I served it tonight for company. I’ll make it again and again.
Thank you and so glad you enjoyed this! It’s really one of my most easy and delicious recipes on my site!
This is the most amazing one pot pasta dish I have ever made. My husband said “definitely a keeper”. Super easy. I used Rao’s Marinara sauce, a few splashes of Balsamic Vinegar, Kirkland Brand shrimp (comes in a 2 lb bag), and used my Le Creuset Dutch oven – it was amazing!! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes.
Shelly, This recipe looks awesome but I can’t find the Bertolli Reserva Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelized Onions Sauce.
Can you recommend an alternative sauce? Thanks
Honestly, you can use just about any sauce you like! We make this all the time with our favorite Rao’s sauce too!
I couldn’t find the Bertolli Reserva Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelized Onion sauce anywhere either. I Tried 3 different grocery stores. Safeway, Albertsons, and Walmart. So I ended up buying Traditional marinara sauce. And I found a video on how to make caramelized onion with balsamic vinegar that I’m going to try and make this recipe that way.
Pasta came out too mushy…What do you suggest?
sounds like you might have cooked it a little too long…next time I would reduce the amount of time 🙂
Hi, Can’t find the Bertolli Reserva Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelized Onions Sauce. What would you
suggest as a substitute?
Thanks
Honestly use whatever sauce you like best!
Thank you for this recipe! It has come in handy multiple times when I have people over for dinner but don’t have much time to cook. The best part is there isn’t all those dishes afterwards! So delicious and so much flavor everyone always loves it! I do marinate the shrimp in lemon and spices before and it gives it a little tangy flavor! 🙂
I have everything I need to make this recipe tonight, except after looking online I can’t find the Bertolli sauce you recommend. Can I just use a basic jarred sauce like Ragu or Pasta & add some balsamic vinegar to it? How much would I use? Didn’t know if this is supposed to be a tomato-type sauce or a creamy white sauce? Thank you from a novice cook!!
yes you can use any sauce:) just use a 24- ounce jar tomato sauce like the recipe calls for!
Just made this tonight and omg loved it! Sooo good. I couldn’t find balsamic with the carmalized onion sauce together so I just added some balsamic vinegar to the sauce. so yummy. It was a little spicy for my husbands taste so next time I’ll lighten up on the red pepper flakes. Will definitely keep this one in the rotation. Thanks for the great recipe!
Good idea adding in some balsamic vinegar!
The best! I didn’t have store-bought sauce, so I used tinned tomato sauce and added balsamic vinegar. I also used more garlic since I had no onions, and it still tasted delish! Looking forward to making it again and again.