This easy chili shrimp pasta recipe can be made as quickly as it takes the pasta to cook! Tender shrimp are cooked and tossed with sautéed kale and a spicy chili sauce. This one is a quick, no fuss dinner that hits the spot every time!
I don’t know about you, but I always feel like I never have enough time in the day to get everything that I want to get done, done.
Ever see those people who seem to have everything organized? They seem to have their life together. Do you feel like that person? Me? Nope, I don’t.
As much as I write lists and keep a planner (yes, a physical planner), I always feel like I have something else to do and the list is never ending. I don’t understand when people say they are bored. There is always something to keep me occupied. You feel the same?
My mother gave me good advice. She said that it’s nonsense stressing yourself out trying to get everything done because there will always be more to do so take a minute and breathe. Makes sense when you think of it like that. Kind of puts things into perspective.
No matter how busy I am, I always make time to work out. Let me rephrase that, I have to make time to work out. Running a food blog, testing recipes, eating said recipes and just enjoying eating in general, there’s no way in this world that I can not work out.
So suffice to say, I love easy, tasty dinners that can be prepared in little time so I can get on with my day, get that work out done and move on, feel me?
Cooking for One With This Chili Shrimp Pasta
This chili shrimp pasta recipe is made in about 15 minutes, it’s light and packed with flavour.
It’s the perfect go-to meal before getting my butt on the treadmill for a run. This recipe comes together super quickly.
While the pasta is cooking, whip up the ingredients for the sauce and cook the garlic, kale and shrimp.
By the time the pasta is cooked, you just toss everything together and enjoy. I minced up a chili to give extra heat, but that is totally optional. Though, the chili gives the taste buds a wake up call!
Once every blue moon, hubby is not home for dinner or vice versa. That doesn’t mean I’m going to veg out on some cereal or take out. I want real food and real food, fast. The thing with cooking for one is ya don’t want to spend a whole lot of time at it so this recipe works perfectly.
Though there’s lime in the sauce, I love to squeeze with an extra bit to give it a little zing.
Can I Double the Recipe?
Of course!
This recipe for is portioned for one but can easily be doubled or quadrupled according to how many people you want to serve. Just adjust the quantities accordingly.
This is not an overly saucy recipe. A quarter cup of the pasta water is added to the chili sauce mixture to add a little more liquidity to the dish, but you can add more if you like.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
If you try this chili shrimp pasta recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Chili Shrimp Pasta for One
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dried gluten-free linguine pasta, or use regular linguine pasta (about 85 grams)
- 1 tablespoon less sodium soya sauce, or use regular soy sauce or gluten free soy sauce (whatever you prefer)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce, or use a gluten free variety if needed
- ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 red Thai chili pepper, minced (optional)
- 1 cup thinly sliced kale (leaves only, no stems)
- 4 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used about 8 shrimp but number could vary depending on their size)
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- Lime wedge, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water for later, then drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soya sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar and lime juice. Set aside.
- Heat ½ teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and chili pepper (if using) and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and onto a plate. Set aside.
- Heat remaining ½ teaspoon of olive oil in pan.
- Place shrimp in pan and cook them for about 3 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway through cooking. Transfer cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.Note: Cook time for shrimp may vary, depending on their size. Just heat until cooked through.
- Add reserved sauce to pan along with ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and black pepper. Stir. Cook for 2 minutes. Mix in pasta, kale mixture and cooked shrimp until well combined.
- Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Ashley says
Omg this was so good! I made the recipe just as described and it is perfect 👍 thank you!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Thank you very much, Ashley!! So happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Sheila says
This is one of the best seafood pasta I have ever tasted. The chili shrimp flavor was a delight and perfect to this cold weather. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Sheila! Happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Luci's Morsels says
This sounds delicious! Love the single size serving, so many recipes can leave behind copious leftovers and sometimes you just want the perfect amount of food!
Girl Heart Food says
I hear ya! Thanks so much Luci 🙂
Daw says
I love pasta! And I love this recipe! Delicious!
Girl Heart Food says
Thank you 🙂
Jenny | The Baking Skillet says
Do not get how anyone can get bored when there is a million things one can do! Love easy shrimp dinners. they are a favorite in our house. This one looks delicious!
Girl Heart Food says
I know! Thanks so much Jenny 🙂
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
This sounds DELISH! I love easy, fast shrimp meals. And when the husband is gone, I TOTALLY use that as a chance to skip cooking hahaha! You’re more committed than I am 😀
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Sarah!
Sues says
It’s one of my biggest pet peeves when people say they’re bored!! I have NO idea what boredom must feel like! And I’m also definitely not one of those organized/has everything together type people. I wish!! Good for you for always making time to work out… Another thing I definitely do not do. But I totally want to make this chili shrimp pasta; it’s RIGHT up my alley and nice and quick, too!
Girl Heart Food says
Right?! Glad I’m not the only one 😉 Thanks so much Sues! Gotta love quick meals!
Jenn | Foodess says
Looks yummy!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Jenn!
Milena | Craft Beering says
I’ll take double quantity and still call it ‘for one’. I can eat it after Barre class to justify the size of my portion:) Another citrus drops shot!! Love. Do you know about Tinchos? It’s semi sparkling white wine with lime juice and soda. How great this dish would pair with a Tincho…! Pinned.
Girl Heart Food says
I like your thinking, Milena 😉 No! I do not! I’ll have to keep my eye out for that cause it definitely sounds like a lovely pairing with this recipe. Thanks so much, my friend!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Oh man, what would we do without our workouts? For real, I’d need a crane to get me out of the house :). I’m loving this pasta, Dawn! I love that it’s not too saucy, so the shrimp can really stand out. And of course I love how quickly it comes together! Have a great week, my dear!
Girl Heart Food says
Right?! Thanks so much Kelsie! Have a great week too 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I agree with Kathy! How quick and easy is this meal Dawn?! And it’s got my favorite…shrimp! I know my husband Tom would love it too. On my list my friend! Thanks and have a fabulous week!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Mary Ann! It’s super quick! Hope you guys love it! Have a wonderful week too 🙂
annie@ciaochowbambina says
I agree with Kathy – your mama is a wise woman! The older I get, the more aligned I am with that philosophy on life! This dish looks perfect! You know how I love my pasta prepared al dente and that zingy shrimp has me all sorts of happy!! Have a great week, my dear! PS) Cute manicure! XOXO
Girl Heart Food says
Thank you Annie! You have a great week too and thank for the nail love – gotta have those nails done 🙂 XOXO
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I don’t think those people who seem to have it all together ACTUALLY have it all together. I think they have just mastered composure. I mean, we are all human and no one is perfect. Everyone is subject to stress and chaos!! 😉 But I think your mom gave you excellent advice, my dear!! I am loooving this pasta! Love the spice! Love the shrimp! And I love love love that it’s for one, because Boy is super weird when it comes to shrimp, so this is ALL mine! Yay! Cheers, doll! XOXO
Girl Heart Food says
Thank you so much, Cheyanne! XOXO
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
Your mama is a wise woman! We should all follow her advice! This pasta and shrimp looks so great! I love the super light sauce and shrimp!
Girl Heart Food says
Totally! Thanks Kathy 🙂