I love a good one-pot recipe that doesn’t require much time or effort to make. Every now and then, especially during busy weeknights, these quick meals can be life saving. I rely on them myself because to be honest, there are some nights where I really don’t feel like cooking. Maybe because I spend all day in the kitchen for work as well. This One-Pot Shrimp Fajita Pasta is a delicious true one-pot wonder, no need to boil water to cook the pasta separately. Everything is cooked in just one pot and I can’t tell you enough how delicious it is. If you’re not a fan of shrimp, I list a few swap out options below so you can easily adapt it to your needs/tastes.
Set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and the shrimp. Cook, stirring often, until just barely cooked through and light pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the shrimp onto a plate. Set aside.
If the skillet has dried out, add a drizzle more oil. Then add the onion, bell peppers and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened a bit.
Stir in 2 1/2 cups water, pasta, cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and cooking water has thickened, about 12 to 14 minutes.
**Tip: If you don’t want to buy all of these individual spices, you can also use a tablespoon or two of store-bought taco seasoning instead!**
Remove pan from the heat and add in cilantro, cream cheese and 1 cup of shredded pepper jack. Stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is creamy.
Top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack and place the pan under the broiler for about 3 minutes or so until the cheese is bubbly and brown.
Remove from the oven and garnish with more fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges on the side before serving.
If you’re not a fan of shrimp, you can totally use chicken instead. Dice up boneless skinless chicken (breast works but thighs are better) and brown at the beginning as you would if using shrimp. Sliced smoked sausage would be great too!
If you’re in need of a quick weeknight meal that is ready in no-time at all, with little to no effort, that still tastes great, then look no further because this one-pot pasta is one of the easiest and tastiest dishes you can make. I hope you’ll give it a try because it’s honestly one of my favorite one-pot meals. Let me know what you think below and thank you for reading and following along!
One-Pot Shrimp Fajita Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 3 large bell peppers green, red and yellow, thinly sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves plus more for garnish
- 1/3 cup softened cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- Fresh lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and the shrimp. Cook, stirring often, until just barely cooked through and light pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the shrimp onto a plate. Set aside.
- If the skillet has dried out, add a drizzle more oil. Then add the onion, bell peppers and garlic. Cook until the vegetables have softened a bit. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water, pasta, cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and cooking water has thickened, about 12 to 14 minutes.
- Remove pan from the heat and add in cilantro, cream cheese and 1 cup of shredded pepper jack. Stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is creamy. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack and place the pan under the broiler for about 3 minutes or so until the cheese is bubbly and brown. Remove from the oven and garnish with cilantro and limes before serving. Enjoy!
nice dish, a great mash up of flavors, pasta, shrimp dish combo or bake, like these flavors, thank you!
This was a delicious, easy to prep ahead, comfort dinner. I guessed at when to put the shrimp back in the pot, since having bookmarked this recipe earlier, I didn’t re-look at your pictures, and it wasn’t in the recipe directions. I should have used smaller shrimp or more of the jumbo size I had. I agree this would be equally good with chicken or sausage. Thanks!