One-Pot Shrimp Fajita Pasta Recipe - Peas and Crayons (2024)

5 from 10 votes

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Servings: 4 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons

• 12-16 oz shrimp (fresh or frozen and thawed)
• 8 oz medium shell pasta
• 1 TBSP oil for sauteeing (avocado, olive, coconut, etc… plus extra as needed)
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 medium onion
• ¾ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup enchilada sauce plus extra if desired

TASTY TOPPINGS

• 2-4 oz grated cheese (skip for dairy-free)
• 1 jalapeño, sliced thin
• ½ lime, cut into wedges
• chopped green onion and/or cilantro to taste

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

• guacamole or chopped/sliced avocado
• a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt
• pickled/marinated red onion
• pico de gallo
• hot sauce

• If you plan on popping this bad boy in the oven to melt the cheese, use an oven-safe pot/pan and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prefer to stir the cheese into the pasta? Skip the oven!

• Clean and peel shrimp, defrosting if needed.Lately we’vebeen buying frozen, deveined, easy-peel shrimp. All I have to do is defrost, peel, and cook!You can also buy your shrimp already peeled if you’d like!Set shrimp aside and start on the pasta.

• Cook pasta, uncovered in a large pot of boiling water per package instructions. I like mine al dente. Rinse in a colander with cold water. Drain and set aside

• While your pasta boils, slice your bell pepper and chop your onion. Bring a large high-sided pan or skillet to medium-high heat with 1 TBSP of oil. Sauté onion and peppers until edges are browned and softened. Reduce heat to medium.

• Pat shrimp dry and season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well to coat both sides.

• Move veggies to the side, add a bit more oil, as needed, and add your shrimp to the pan.Cook on each side for about 2 minutes until shrimp curl and become opaque. The cooktime will depend on the heat setting you choose and the size of your shrimp, but regardless they’ll be perfectly cooked in a matter of minutes. Add your cooked, drained pasta and enchilada sauce. Gently fold everything together. If you’d like, feel free to use additional sauce! Sometimes I go light and other times I’ll make it extra saucy!

• Add your cheese. You can swirl it into the pasta or sprinkle on top and use an oven mit to transfer pot to oven, uncovered, for a few minutes until hot and melty!

• Now pile on the toppings! I added lime wedges (I love to squeeze a little lime juice into the dish before diving in) along with cilantro and fresh jalapeños. It’s also kiiiind of amazing with a dollop of sour cream and some salsa!

I’ve made this tasty pasta dish two ways – the first way is all in one pot (hence the title) by boiling the pasta in a large high-sided skillet, then transferring it to a bowl while you cook the shrimp and veggies. To save time, you can actually boil the pasta in a separate pot while cooking the rest of the dish and it goes even faster! Totally choose your favorite method here!

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!