Shrimp Fettuccine with Chorizo and Zucchini
, Published Aug 06, 2026
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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.
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.
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.
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, onion, zucchini and peppers and stir to coat in the spicy oil. Cook until the shrimp just start turning pink then stir in unsalted butter, tomato paste, pepper paste and Dijon mustard.
Lower the heat. Stir in the garlic, a handful of the chopped herbs, salt, paprika and red pepper flake, then add a generous splash of white wine (or dry Marsala) to the pan.
Cook for a couple of minutes and add a squeeze of lemon. At this point your pasta should be al dente – set some of the cooking water aside and drain.
Add the reserved pasta water to the sauce and simmer until the shrimp are pink and vegetables just tender. Stir the fettuccine into the skillet, tossing it to coat in the sauce.
Throw in a splash of heavy cream, some freshly grated Parmesan and a final sprinkling of fresh herbs – dinner is served!
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.
👉 Please leave a comment and rating if you try this recipe, follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes and don’t forget to tag me on @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations.
Shrimp Fettuccine with Chorizo and Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 12 oz (340g) fettuccine
- 2 tsp salt
For the sauce
- 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
Instructions
- 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.12 oz (340g) fettuccine, 2 tsp salt
- Heat a little 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.1 tbsp olive oil, ⅗ cup (85g) fresh chorizo
- Add the shrimp, onion, zucchini and peppers and stir to coat in the spicy oil. Cook until the shrimp start turning pink then stir in unsalted butter, tomato paste, pepper paste and Dijon mustard.1 lb (450) raw shrimp, 1 large onion, 2 bell peppers, 1 large yellow zucchini, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp pepper paste
- Lower the heat. Stir in the garlic, a handful of the herbs, salt, pepper and seasoning, then add a generous splash of white wine (or dry Marsala) to the pan.3 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, pinch red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tbsp chopped chives, 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup (60ml) dry white wine
- Cook for a couple of minutes and add a squeeze of lemon. At this point your pasta should be al dente – reserve about half a cup (125ml) of the cooking water aside and drain.½ tbsp lemon juice
- Add the reserved pasta water to the sauce and simmer briefly until the shrimp are pink and vegetables just tender. Stir the fettuccine into the skillet, tossing it to coat in the sauce.
- Add a splash of heavy cream, some freshly grated Parmesan and a final sprinkling of fresh herbs – dinner is served!½ cup (120ml) cream , heavy / double, 4 tbsp parmesan cheese
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
