Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp (Easy Halloween Recipe)

If you’re looking for a last-minute easy Halloween recipe that’s more fun and festive than frightening, then this show-stopping Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp is just what you need! I found this trippy looking black and white bow tie pasta at Home Goods when I was browsing around for inspiration and I instantly grabbed it off the shelf. I knew I could make a simple unfussy pasta dish that would be perfect for Halloween, but also could be enjoyed any time of the year!

You start out by slicing up four cloves of garlic, but if you want to keep the vampires away, go for more! 😉 And then the rest of the sauce comes together with fresh cherry tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, and wine.

I chose to use shrimp because I think the pop of color and taste of the shrimp really enhances the overall dish. But you can use scallops or of course squid instead.

Some people are not a fan of adding cheese with seafood, but this girl is, and it works, so I make sure to add plenty of Parmesan to kick up that flavor. You can always add a twist and do Feta instead.

Something to note is that squid ink pasta that’s sold in its dry form usually doesn’t have a strong taste. You’d probably expect it to be briny or full of seafood flavor, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you really want that, go for fresh or homemade.

This particular pasta I snagged only had a hint of squid ink, to give it that fun black and white striped look that is reminiscent of Beetlejuice, so I was definitely going more for aesthetics here.

I can only imagine how this pasta dish would taste with jet-black fresh briny squid ink pasta, so I definitely will try it again one day with that, and maybe even make a variation by adding cream or clam juice! But that’s the beauty of this dish…you can totally make it your own and adjust the ingredients to your liking.

I chose to keep the flavorings pretty simple and clean this time, with basic pantry staples. That’s why this is perfect for a cozy Halloween evening at home for two, or after a night of collecting candy with the kids. You can even stretch the recipe to feed an intimate party.

I think the best part of this dish is that it looks unique enough to serve as a Halloween meal, without sacrificing its taste. Make sure you stay tuned for PARTS 2 and 3 coming out next as I continue on with my last-minute Halloween food ideas! In the meantime, go grab some squid ink pasta and make this dish tonight!

If you can’t find the exact black and white squid ink pasta like me, here’s a good option that I’m sure will work out just fine: squid ink tagliatelle. And for any of the tools I used in our video, you can check out our tool kit. By the way, even though this post is not sponsored, I did use affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you do end up purchasing any of these products mentioned at no extra cost to you. I’d be happy to answer any questions for you about these products.

And if you don’t want to use squid ink pasta at all, you can enjoy this dish with regular pasta, because it will still be worth making! WATCH OUR VIDEO BELOW to see all my tips and tricks for keeping the shrimp succulent and juicy, and the pasta full of flavor:

Print Recipe

Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp

This fun pasta dish is festive enough for Halloween, but you can make it any time of the year! If you can't find squid ink pasta, don't fret my pet...use regular pasta and enjoy it anyhow!

Servings: 2

---

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (½ pound)  squid ink pasta (any shape)
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 8-10 ounces jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or more...to keep the vampires away)
• ¼-½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• ¼ cup starchy salted cooking water, reserved
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a small pinch of salt to your shrimp and massage it lightly with your hand (this will make the shrimp more juicy and flavorful).
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat until lightly smoking. Add the shrimp and sauté until opaque, about 1 minute (or slightly less than 1 minute) each side. Leave the browned bits that develop in the bottom of the pan. Remove shrimp to a plate.
• Add more oil if needed to the pan, along with the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Add wine to deglaze the pan and reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomato and parsley. Cook for 1 minute until tomatoes break down a little. Add the pasta, reserved starchy salted pasta water, lemon juice, butter, about half of the parmesan, and parsley. Return the shrimp to the skillet, mixing well. Top with remaining parmesan and parsley and serve.