Fusion · main

Harissa Butter Shrimp Pasta

Harissa Butter Shrimp Pasta reads umami 6.4, richness 5.9 and salinity 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Fusion main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.4 · Richness 5.9 · Salinity 5.7 · Citrus 5.3 · Sourness 5.0 · Fruity 4.4 · Marine & Briny 4.0 · Allium 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 3.1 · Nutty 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Sweetness 1.7 · Floral 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 0.9 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (14)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• shrimp — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• unsalted butter — 68 g
• sesame seed paste — 41 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomato paste — 15 g
• dry white wine — 118 g
• heavy cream — 118 g
• lemon — 65 g
• parsley — 15 g
• feta cheese crumbles — 57 g

Time & effort: about 25 min (23 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 121.1 kcal, 8 g protein, 11.1 g fat, 5.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just shy of al dente, 8-9 minutes; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry and season all over with the salt and pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink and just opaque, about 90 seconds per side; transfer to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same skillet, then add the harissa paste and garlic; bloom, stirring often, until fragrant and the butter turns deep red-orange, 1-2 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly and smells sweet, about 1 minute.
6. Pour in the white wine and simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, until reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.
7. Stir in the heavy cream and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water; simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
8. Add the drained linguine to the skillet and toss to coat, adding splashes of the remaining pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce, 1-2 minutes.
9. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the skillet; toss to combine and warm through, about 1 minute.
10. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice and the parsley; taste and add more salt if needed.
11. Divide among bowls, top with the feta, and serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Miso Butter Salmon Pasta — Fusion
• Skillet Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles — Italian-American
• Lemon Garlic Shrimp Orzo — Mediterranean
• Shrimp Scampi Flatbread — Italian-American
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.