Creamy Tomato Shrimp
Mushroom Spaghetti
This vibrant shrimp and mushroom spaghetti features tender, perfectly seared shrimp tossed in a rich, creamy tomato sauce. Bursting with savory umami and a hint of sweet chili, it’s an irresistible weeknight pasta.
Pasta nights dont have to be complicated to be extraordinary. By building layers of flavor—searing marinated shrimp, browning earthy mushrooms, and reducing fresh cherry tomatoes into a luscious base—this dish elevates pantry staples into something truly satisfying. The secret lies in a splash of milk and a simple starch slurry, creating a velvety sauce that clings beautifully to every strand of spaghetti.
Ingredients
- 200 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 200 g spaghetti
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 150 g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup potato starch water (slurry)
- 1/2 tsp sweet chili powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- to taste sea salt
- optional dried herbs for garnish
Instructions
- 1Marinate the shrimp
Place the shrimp in a bowl and season them with black pepper and sweet chili powder. Add a small amount of potato starch water to the mixture to ensure the shrimp remain tender and succulent during cooking.
Tip: Using potato starch water helps create a light coating that locks in moisture. - 2Pan-fry the shrimp
Heat a thin layer of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated shrimp and pan-fry them until they turn opaque and are fully cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside for later.
Tip: Cook the shrimp just until they turn opaque to keep them tender and prevent overcooking. - 3Sauté aromatics and mushrooms
In the same pan, add the diced onions and sliced mushrooms. Season with black pepper and sea salt. Sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms are slightly browned and the onions are translucent, then remove them from the pan.
Tip: Brown the mushrooms well to develop a deep, savory umami flavor. - 4Sauté the cherry tomatoes
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan. Sauté them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to break down, releasing their natural juices into the pan to form the base of the sauce.
Tip: Pressing down slightly on the tomatoes with a spatula will help them release their juices faster. - 5Combine ingredients
Add the previously cooked shrimp, sautéed onions, and mushrooms back into the pan with the cherry tomatoes. Toss gently to combine all the ingredients together over low heat.
Tip: Keep the heat low at this stage to prevent overcooking the pre-cooked ingredients. - 6Create the sauce
Season the mixture with oyster sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce, black pepper, sea salt, and a dash of sweet chili powder. Pour in the milk and potato starch water, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to a rich, creamy consistency.
Tip: Stir continuously while adding the starch slurry to prevent lumps from forming in the sauce. - 7Combine and toss
Add the cooked spaghetti into the pan with the prepared shrimp and mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta thoroughly to ensure every strand is evenly coated in the rich, savory sauce.
Tip: If the sauce is too thick, add a small splash of pasta water or milk to loosen it up while tossing.
