Simple Creamy and Spicy Calabrian Chili Shrimp Pasta

As a spicy food fan, I love it in all forms. The tingle sensation on my tongue is addicting. I feel comforted by spicy food, which is funny because as a child, I hated it! I think as I grew up and got more adventurous with my pallet, I began to love spice. Now, I can’t eat anything without it! This recipe is simple to make and is a dinner under 30 minutes. The best part about it is you can choose how spicy you want it. You can go mild all the way to HOT!

First, we are going to season our shrimp with a basic all purpose seasoning and olive oil. I like to add salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well. In a hot non-stick skillet, add 1 tsp of olive oil and sauté shrimp until about 70% done. They will begin to turn opaque but not completely.

Next, add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of minced garlic. Toss in 1/2 a cup of sliced grape tomatoes and stir. Then for a bit of sweetness to cut the heat, add 1 tbsp of tomato paste. My favorite chili now is Calabrian chilies. They are a bit sweeter and have this delicious tang to them. You can use as much or as little of these as you want. Since I am making a larger portion, I added 1 heaping tbsp, plus a little extra. They do not add that much heat to the dish. To make it extra spicy, I added 1 tbsp of red chili flakes, which is OPTIONAL.

Lastly, pour in 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and mix well. Then toss in your cooked pasta of choice and let simmer on low until the pasta absorbs some of the delicious sauce. This takes about 5 minutes. The starches from the pasta will thicken the sauce, just give it a few minutes! When the pasta is finished, top with some chili flakes, basil, and a squeeze of lemon and enjoy!