This Mediterranean shrimp and chorizo pasta with arugula combines smoky Spanish chorizo, tender shrimp, peppery arugula, and additional chorizo seasoning in a light white wine-type sauce. The bold flavors make it taste restaurant-worthy, but it comes together in about 30 minutes.
For more drool-worthy shrimp recipes, try my refreshing Mediterranean shrimp orzo salad, spicy rice noodles with shrimp, or easy shrimp paella.
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Quick Look: Shrimp and Chorizo Pasta with Arugula
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
🍳 Cook Time: 20 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes
👥 Servings: 6
📊 Calories: ~563 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop-based
👩🍳 Main Ingredients: Pasta, shrimp, chorizo, arugula
⭐ Difficulty: Easy-everything but the pasta cooks in one pan
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Why You'll Love Shrimp and Chorizo Pasta with Arugula
Restaurant-worthy flavors: The chorizo's paprika-rich oils, combined with an added chorizo seasoning, create a flavorful base for the shrimp. The fresh arugula wilts into the pasta while it retains its bright, peppery bite.
Works with just about any pasta: Long pasta like linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine works great with this recipe, as do shorter pastas like cavatappi, rigatoni, or penne.
Quick to make: This dish comes together in about 30 minutes if you purchase your shrimp already peeled and deveined.
Shrimp and chorizo are a match made in heaven, with that savory blend of sweet and salty. Toss them with pasta for this shrimp and chorizo pasta with arugula, and you have a company-worthy dish that's also simple enough for weeknights.
What amplifies this pasta is the chorizo seasoning, essentially a dry rub for the shrimp that mimics the flavor of the spicy chorizo.
Do yourself a favor and purchase shrimp that's already been peeled and deveined. Otherwise, you can prepare the shrimp earlier with the chorizo seasoning and spend just 30 minutes cooking dinner.
For more chorizo recipes to whip up, here's an easy sweet potatoes with eggs and chorizo, lentejas, or potato and chorizo soup.
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Key Ingredients
See the recipe card for full ingredient and quantity information.
- Raw Shrimp: Wild-caught shrimp tastes best.
- Chorizo Seasoning (See Recipe): This adds more flavor to the pasta.
- Spanish Chorizo: This is where the real flavor is at!
- White Wine: A splash complements seafood beautifully.
Variations & Substitutions
➢Omit the chorizo for a meatless version. Just don't omit the chorizo seasoning, as you still get that spicy flavor.
➢Use linguiça or Mexican chorizo instead (Mexican chorizo has more heat, but you need to fully cook it first.)
➢If you don't want to use pork chorizo, you could substitute it with chicken chorizo.
➢If you don't like arugula or want something with less bite, substitute it with a milder green like spinach or kale.
How to Make Shrimp and Chorizo Pasta with Arugula
Step 1: Make the chorizo seasoning by mixing together the dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Toss the shrimp with some of the chorizo seasoning; chill for at least 1 hour.
Step 3: While the pasta boils, cook the garlic in olive oil, then add the chorizo and cook until slightly browned.
Step 4: Add the red pepper flakes, and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Step 5: Pour in the wine, and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce and burn off some of the alcohol.
Step 6: Cook the seasoned shrimp in the pan for 2-3 minutes per side until pink. Toss with cooked pasta and reserved pasta water; add the arugula to wilt.
Pro Tips
➢Don't skip any ingredients: As flavorful as the main ingredients are, the supporting players really amp them up and help bring this dish together.
➢Save time with pre-cleaned shrimp: Buying shrimp that's already been peeled and deveined is a big time saver (if a bit pricier).
Shrimp and Chorizo Pasta with Arugula FAQs
I highly recommend wild-caught shrimp over farm-raised whenever possible. It can be fresh or frozen. If you live in the U.S., Argentine shrimp, Key West shrimp, and Gulf shrimp are all good options.
Spanish chorizo is a pork sausage originating from the Iberian Peninsula, flavored with paprika, smoked red peppers, and other spices. However, different variations exist. Some are cured; others are not. In the U.S., it's common to find cured Spanish chorizo.
Mexican chorizo is raw, so you need to cook it before eating. Most Spanish chorizo (at least in the U.S.) is cured, so you don't need to cook it, but you can find some that aren't cured and require cooking.
Absolutely! As delicious as Italian sausage is with pasta, so is chorizo, with its distinctive, spicy, paprika-laden flavor. If it tastes great in rice, like with this shrimp and chorizo paella, it also tastes great in pasta dishes with a Spanish/Mexican influence.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days.
Freezer: I don't recommend freezing cooked pasta, especially with the arugula.
Reheat: Reheat it in the oven, covered, on low just until warmed through, so you don't dry out the shrimp. You can also microwave it.
Related Recipes
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Shrimp and Chorizo Pasta with Arugula
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces large raw shrimp peeled and deveined (Note 1)
- 2 tablespoons chorizo seasoning (See below)
- 16 ounces pasta
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and sliced thinly
- 8 ounces Spanish chorizo sliced paper thin or down the middle and cut into ¼" pieces (Note 2)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups baby arugula packed
For the Chorizo Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the chorizo seasoning. Toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons of the seasoning, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat, and cook the garlic until lightly golden. Add the chorizo and brown it a bit, then add the red pepper flakes, stirring them for 30 seconds. Pour in the wine, and simmer it 2-3 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.
- Add the seasoned shrimp by spreading them in a single layer in the pan; sprinkle them with the salt. Cook them for 2-3 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque.
- Toss the drained pasta with everything in the pan; stir in the arugula so it wilts. Add just enough pasta water to moisten everything before serving. Finish off the pasta by drizzling some extra virgin olive oil on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Another sign the shrimp are done is when they start to turn into the letter "C." Just make sure they don't curl too tightly, or they'll be overdone.
Nutrition
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Love this. Restaurant-worthy dish.