Spicy Southwest Shrimp Pasta With Pappardelle

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A creamy, spicy seafood pasta with shrimp and a Southwest veggie medley that comes together in 35 minutes. Pair it with our coconut shrimp with sweet and spicy dipping sauce or Spanish fried cauliflower and a glass of chilled white wine for the perfect date night celebration!

This recipe is inspired by one of the best seafood pasta recipes I’ve ever had. I had it for dinner at a hotel restaurant in Big Sur the night Alex and I got engaged – and that meal was memorable for more reasons than one! The Southwest inspired flavors of this creamy seafood pasta stuck with me, and I’ve been determined to recreate it ever since.

Our seafood pasta features a creamy chipotle sauce that’s surprisingly light, brightened by lemon juice and fresh veggies like tomato, corn, peppers, and onions. There’s more chipotle flavor than heat to this dish, so it’s not too spicy. Overall, it’s a really fun fusion recipe inspired by the flavors of California and the southwest, and it’s perfect for summer!

Why We Love This Recipe

Key Ingredients

• Pappardelle – We chose pappardelle for our seafood pasta since the super thick noodles hold onto the cream sauce well, and make it easier to scoop up all the veggies. We don’t recommend swapping this out for another type of pasta, but in a pinch you can use a thick noodle like fettuccine or linguine.
• Southwest veggie medley – We use a combination of bright, vibrant, and flavorful veggies: garlic, bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, corn, and peas. 
• Chipotle purée (chipotles in adobo, puréed in the food processor) – For the chipotle purée, buy a can of chipotles in adobo and pulverize the contents in a food processor. You won’t end up using all of it for this recipe, but you can keep it in the fridge for about 1 to 2 months and use it in many of our other recipes. Check out the Expert Tips section below for other recipes that use chipotle puree.
• Precooked shrimp, fresh or frozen – Precooked shrimp makes this seafood pasta recipe super easy! We like to buy frozen shrimp and then defrost just the right amount for dinner when making recipes like this one. A little bit of time on the stove in some butter, and it’s just as flavorful as freshly cooked shrimp.
• Garnish – Adding a little chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice is a must. The added herb, salt, and acid, really make the flavors of the recipe pop and create the upscale presentation expected for a celebratory or date night dinner.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Spicy Shrimp Pasta With A Southwest Vegetable Medley

To make our seafood pasta recipe, you’ll need to prepare three components: the pappardelle, the veggie medley with chipotle cream sauce, and the shrimp.

1. First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve about a quarter cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium. Add the garlic, pepper, onion, corn, and peas and season with a pinch of sea salt. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Next, add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another minute or two.
4. In a separate, small frying pan, add the butter and shrimp and cook over medium-high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once or twice during cooking.
5. Once the tomatoes are cooked, turn the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream. Stir in the parmesan and cotija cheese until melted, then stir in the chipotle purée and lemon juice. Add another pinch of salt, stir, and adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
6. Finally, add the pappardelle to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Add a splash of pasta water to help the sauce cling.
7. Plate the pasta topped with shrimp and garnished with grated cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Squeeze extra lemon juice over the dish before serving.

Make sure to hit each dish with an extra squeeze of lemon juice before serving. This simple yet crucial step adds extra acid to the dish, which brings out the flavor of the shrimp!

Seafood Pasta Serving Suggestions

Like any pasta dinner, this seafood pasta goes great with a side salad or fresh bread and dipping oils.

We love trying unique olive oil and balsamic vinegar flavors with fusion recipes like this one. We served this dinner with chipotle olive oil and mango balsamic, with artisan bread for dipping, and it was the perfect side dish!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Our seafood pasta recipe only plates the shrimp on top of the pasta, instead of mixing it in, so that you can store leftovers without the seafood component. This will make the leftovers last much longer!

Store leftover seafood pasta (pasta, veggies, and sauce only – no shrimp) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat single servings for about 2 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway through, and serve with freshly cooked shrimp.

Try our seafood pasta recipe this summer and let us know what you think by rating, commenting, and sharing below! Sign up for our email newsletter here to stay up to date on all our new recipes.