Name: Shrimp Fettuccine with Chorizo and Zucchini
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 h
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 12 oz (340g) fettuccine; 2 tsp salt; 1 tbsp olive oil; ⅗ cup (85g) fresh chorizo (, diced); 1 lb (450) raw shrimp (, or prawns); 1 large onion (, sliced); 2 bell peppers (, sliced); 1 large yellow zucchini (, sliced); 3 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; pinch red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp unsalted butter (, cubed); 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp pepper paste; 1 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tbsp chopped chives; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves; 4 cloves garlic (, sliced); ¼ cup (60ml) dry white wine; ½ tbsp lemon juice; ½ cup (120ml) cream, heavy / double; 4 tbsp parmesan cheese (, freshly grated)

Shrimp Fettuccine with Chorizo and Zucchini

Need a fast weeknight dinner when your energy is zapped? This Spicy Shrimp Fettuccine with Chorizo and Zucchini takes just 20 minutes. Tossed in a rich, buttery, spicy cream sauce that teenagers and adults both devour! Save this recipe for…

Serves 4

Prep 5 minutes

Cook 20 hours

Total 17 minutes

Jump to the recipe

If you are a fan of the rich, spicy and buttery flavors of my original Cowboy Chicken Pasta, get ready for your new weeknight obsession. This version uses the same indulgent sauce and pairs it with sweet, tender shrimp, spicy chorizo and fresh zucchini.

If you like this but want something with a bit more kick, why not try my Spicy Prawn Pasta Arrabbiata? Not a fan of prawns? Try my Creamy Salmon Chorizo Pasta! And If you want to keep things really simple, go for my Easy Prawn Pasta – it can’t be beat!

Ahh summertime… I love the sun and heat when I’m on holiday, but I find myself completely zapped of energy when I’m at home. Especially since the kids are off school and “Mom, what is there to eat?” is their most overused phrase.

When a salad just won’t do for hungry teenagers, I always rely on seafood pasta to bring something tasty, filling and QUICK to the table. This time, I tweaked my favorite Cowboy Chicken Pasta recipe and it turned out SO GOOD that it instantly earned a place on this site.

If you are a fan of the rich, spicy, and buttery flavors of that original recipe, get ready for your new weeknight obsession. This version uses the same indulgent sauce but pairs it with sweet, tender shrimp, spicy chorizo and fresh zucchini.

It delivers all the comforting, bold flavors of the original, but swapping poultry for seafood makes the whole dish feel summery, lighter and more vibrant. Plus shrimp cooks in a flash so this entire meal comes together even faster.

A skillet filled with creamy shrimp fettuccine with chorizo, bell peppers, and herbs, topped with grated cheese, sits on a light-colored surface.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this shrimp fettuccine recipe:

Fettuccine: The long strands absorb the spicy buttery sauce best, but you can also use linguine or bucatini.
Bell peppers and zucchini (or other summer veggies).
Jumbo shrimp (or prawns): I always have a large bag in my freezer!
Chorizo: Fresh Spanish chorizo (Chorizo Fresca) for a piquant kick.
Flavor boosters: Tomato paste, pepper paste and Dijon mustard.
Butter, heavy cream and parmesan: For an indulgent, luscious, rich sauce.
Fresh herbs: Thyme, parsley and chives cut through the richness.

Various ingredients in bowls and cups on a countertop, including chopped onions, bell peppers, shrimp, sliced sausage, lemon, butter, garlic, parsley, spices, cheese, squash, tomato paste, oil, and mustard.

How to Make Shrimp Fettuccine

This recipe comes together super-fast – the pasta cooks in the same time as the sauce so you’ll need to do a bit of multitasking!

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the fettuccine according to pack instructions. Set a timer and don’t forget to reserve some of the cooking water before draining – you’ll be using it in the sauce.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and pan fry the chorizo over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes or until it renders some of its fat.

Add the shrimp and cook until they just start turning pink. Sprinkle with some of the salt, paprika and red pepper flake and continue to stir.

Add the onion, zucchini and peppers and stir to coat in the spicy oil. Cook for a few minutes to soften.

Stir in the unsalted butter, tomato paste, pepper paste, Dijon mustard and a handful of the chopped herbs.

Colorful pan filled with raw shrimp, sliced bell peppers, onions, squash, chorizo, butter, mustard, and tomato paste, ready to be cooked.

Lower the heat. Stir in the garlic, then add a generous splash of white wine (or dry Marsala) to the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining salt, paprika and red pepper flake.

At this point your pasta should be al dente – set some of the cooking water aside and drain.

Cook the dish for a couple of minutes, add the reserved pasta water to the sauce and simmer until the shrimp are pink and vegetables just tender.

Shrimp, bell peppers, onions, and squash are simmered in a rich orange-red sauce, creating a colorful and hearty seafood stew in a pan.

Add a squeeze of lemon and a final sprinkling of fresh herbs, then stir the fettuccine into the skillet, tossing it to coat in the sauce.

Throw in a splash of heavy cream and some freshly grated Parmesan – dinner is served!

Colorful pasta with shrimp, sliced bell peppers, and a creamy sauce mixed together in a large pan. The dish is vibrant with orange, red, green, and yellow ingredients visible throughout.

Recipe Notes and Tips

To quickly defrost shrimp (or prawns), add them to a bowl and cover with cold water. Repeat a couple of times until thawed. Pat the shrimp dry before cooking.
This dish is rich without being too heavy. Skip the heavy cream if you want to cut down on the calorie load.
You can also make this dish using cooked crawfish or canned crab meat. Just add those at the end to warm through before serving.
Prefer Poultry? If you are craving these flavors but don’t have seafood on hand, you can always check out the recipe that started it all, Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta.