Avocado Alfredo pasta with spicy shrimp

Get ready to twirl those forks! This creamy avocado Alfredo pasta is the perfect complement to chili-spiced shrimp.

Skip the standard marinara and try this avocado sauce for a creamy alternative with your favorite pasta. It’s quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner but tastes like it took all day to make.

Avocado Alfredo pasta with spicy shrimp recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 large avocados
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 servings pasta of choice, cooked al dente
• 1 cup arugula

For the shrimp:

• 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper (plus more as desired)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

For the sauce:

1. In a food processor add the flesh of the avocados, cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup whole milk and process until smooth.
2. Transfer to a pot over medium-high heat. Simmer until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, plus additional to taste. Add the noodles into the sauce, simmering until noodles have finished cooking, about 3 more minutes (add remaining 1/4 cup milk if sauce becomes dry or thick). Reserve.

For the shrimp:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Add peeled shrimp and toss until shrimp are well coated.
2. In a pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shrimp, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Plate pasta, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, top with arugula and shrimp. Serve immediately.

More Daily Flavor

Spaghetti carbonara
Pasta with asparagus, pancetta and tomatoes
Quick chicken Marsala over pasta