Spanish Spaghetti with Shrimp and Chorizo: An Easy, Flavorful Pasta Dish

Embark on a culinary journey to Spain without leaving your kitchen with this incredible Spanish spaghetti with shrimp and chorizo recipe. This dish masterfully blends the rich, smoky notes of authentic Spanish chorizo with the delicate sweetness of plump jumbo shrimp, all brought together by the complex, nutty undertones of good quality sherry and the fresh burst of ripe tomatoes. It’s a symphony of flavors and textures, promising a delightful dining experience that’s both easy to prepare and profoundly satisfying.

Inspired by the vibrant and robust flavors of traditional Spanish cuisine, this pasta dish offers a unique twist on a weeknight meal. The inherent spiciness and deep paprika aroma of Spanish chorizo are beautifully mellowed by the sherry, creating a balanced and inviting sauce that clings perfectly to al dente spaghetti. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a home cook looking for an impressive yet quick recipe, this Spanish-inspired spaghetti is guaranteed to become a new favorite in your repertoire.

The Magic of Spanish Flavors in Every Bite

What makes Spanish cuisine so captivating is its reliance on simple, high-quality ingredients transformed through thoughtful preparation. This shrimp and chorizo pasta is a prime example. The cornerstone of its distinctive taste lies in a few key components:

• Spanish Chorizo: Not all chorizo is created equal. The dry-cured Spanish variety, renowned for its intense smoky paprika flavor and firm texture, renders a beautiful orange oil that forms the base of our sauce. This oil infuses the entire dish with an unmistakable depth.
• Sherry: More than just a cooking wine, a good quality medium sherry adds an extraordinary layer of complexity. Its slightly sweet, nutty profile complements the savory chorizo and sweet shrimp, bringing a refined warmth that elevates the sauce from ordinary to extraordinary.
• Garlic and Onion: These aromatic staples are the unsung heroes, building a foundational flavor base that underpins the bolder ingredients. Sautéed until translucent, they release their sweet, pungent essences, preparing the palate for the stars of the dish.
• Fresh Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes add a pop of freshness and acidity, cutting through the richness of the chorizo and sherry. Their quick cooking ensures they retain a slight bite, contributing a lovely textural contrast.
• Jumbo Shrimp: Quick-cooking and succulent, shrimp are a perfect partner for pasta. Their delicate flavor absorbs the surrounding Spanish essences beautifully, and their vibrant pink hue adds visual appeal.

Together, these ingredients create a balanced, flavorful, and incredibly appealing dish that truly celebrates the essence of Spanish cooking.

Expert Tips for a Perfect Spanish Spaghetti with Shrimp

Achieving culinary perfection often lies in the details. Here are some essential tips to ensure your Spanish spaghetti with shrimp and chorizo turns out absolutely delicious, making it a truly memorable meal:

Enhance Pasta Flavor with Shrimp Shells

Don’t discard those shrimp shells just yet! They hold a surprising amount of flavor that can be easily transferred to your pasta. This simple technique, often employed by professional chefs, elevates the entire dish by adding a subtle layer of umami to your spaghetti. After peeling your shrimp, add the shells to the pot of water you’ll use for cooking the pasta. Simmer them gently over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. This process allows the shells to infuse the water with their sweet, briny essence without boiling away delicate flavors. After simmering, simply remove the shells with a slotted spoon and discard them. Then, bring the now flavorful water to a rolling boil and cook your spaghetti according to package directions. You’ll notice a remarkable difference in the depth of flavor of your pasta, making it a cohesive part of the overall dish rather than just a neutral base.

The Importance of Spanish Chorizo

Our recipe specifically calls for dry-cured Spanish chorizo, and for good reason. This particular sausage is a culinary gem, celebrated for its robust flavor derived from a blend of pork, garlic, and most importantly, smoked paprika (pimentón). The distinct smoky flavor from the paprika is a crucial element that defines the Spanish character of this dish. If you find yourself unable to locate authentic dry-cured Spanish chorizo, don’t despair. While it’s acceptable to use another type of sausage, such as a high-quality fresh chorizo or even a smoked sausage, it’s absolutely vital to compensate for the missing smoky paprika notes. To do this, simply add a teaspoon or two of good quality smoked paprika to your pan when you’re sautéing the onions and garlic. This will help replicate that essential smoky depth that makes this dish truly Spanish.

Selecting the Right Sherry

When it comes to sherry, there’s a world of difference between “cooking sherry” found in supermarket aisles and “real” drinkable sherry. For this recipe, and indeed for most culinary applications, always opt for a drinkable sherry. You don’t need to splurge on an expensive bottle; an affordable medium sherry will do wonders for the flavor profile. Medium sherry, characterized by its mildly sweet and nutty nuances, adds a distinctive depth to sauces and marinades that cooking sherry simply cannot replicate due to its added salt and lower quality. Even if you’re not a sherry drinker, keeping a bottle of medium sherry in your refrigerator is a wise investment for this recipe and many other dishes where a touch of refined sweetness and complexity is desired. It keeps well, so a single bottle will serve you through many delightful cooking sessions.

5 out of 5 stars from 1 vote

Spanish Spaghetti with Shrimp and Chorizo

By
Lynne Webb

Inspired by the authentic flavors of Spanish cuisine, this quick-to-prepare spaghetti dish features a delightful combination of savory chorizo, succulent shrimp, aromatic sherry, fresh garlic, sweet onion, and juicy tomatoes. It’s an ideal meal for a busy weeknight yet impressive enough for entertaining.

Prep:
15 mins

Cook:
20 mins

Total:
35 mins

Servings:
4 servings

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Ingredients

• 1 lb jumbo shrimp, 16 to 20 per pound, peeled and deveined with tails on
• 2 ounces Spanish chorizo, dry-cured, diced
• 10 ounces thin spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup medium sherry, drinkable quality, not cooking sherry
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Ensure your jumbo shrimp are peeled and deveined, leaving the tails on for presentation and ease of handling. Set them aside while you prepare the other components.
2. Begin by placing a large pot of generously salted water on the stove to boil for your spaghetti. If you opted for the shrimp shell infusion tip, add the shells now and simmer for 10 minutes before bringing to a boil.
3. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced Spanish chorizo and sauté for approximately 2 minutes. The chorizo will begin to release its flavorful, smoky oil into the pan.
4. Next, add the chopped onion to the pan with the chorizo. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, which usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute longer, being careful not to burn it.
5. Pour in the medium sherry. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 2 minutes. This step allows the alcohol to cook off while concentrating the wonderful, complex flavors of the sherry.
6. Add the prepared shrimp to the pan. Cook them for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until they just begin to turn opaque around the edges. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they can become tough.
7. Stir in the halved cherry or grape tomatoes. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Remember to be cautious with the salt, as both the shrimp and especially the chorizo already contribute a significant amount of salinity to the dish.
8. Continue cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened slightly and the shrimp are fully cooked through and pink.
9. Remove the pan from the heat completely and cover it to keep the shrimp and chorizo mixture warm while your pasta finishes cooking.
10. Once the water is boiling, cook and drain the thin spaghetti according to the package directions until it is al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining, in case you need to loosen the sauce.
11. Transfer the cooked and drained spaghetti directly into the pan with the warm shrimp and chorizo mixture. Add the chopped fresh parsley. Toss everything together vigorously to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated with the delicious sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
12. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more salt or pepper as desired. Serve immediately, perhaps with a crusty bread to soak up any extra sauce.

Notes

For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a subtle kick. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end can also brighten the dish. Feel free to garnish with extra fresh parsley or even a few strands of fresh dill for added color and aroma.

Nutrition

Calories: 566

,

Total Fat: 24g

,

Cholesterol: 161mg

,

Sodium: 1104mg

,

Carbohydrates: 55g

,

Fiber: 4g

,

Sugar: 7g

,

Protein: 29g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.