Squid Ink Seafood Pasta
This squid ink seafood pasta is rich, elegant, and deeply flavorful—featuring jet-black pasta coated in garlic white wine sauce with tender shrimp, calamari, and mussels.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 12 oz squid ink pasta spaghetti or linguine
Seafood
- 1/2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 lb calamari rings
- 1 lb mussels cleaned – optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small shallot finely diced
- 1/2 cup white wine or seafood broth
- 1 cup seafood broth
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes optional
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
For Serving
- Extra parsley
- Lemon wedges
- Drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Boil squid ink pasta in salted water until al dente.
- Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
Cook the Seafood
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add shrimp and calamari; season with salt and pepper.
- Cook 2–3 minutes until shrimp turn pink.
- Add mussels and cook until they open (discard any that don't).
Make the Sauce
- Remove seafood and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter.
- Add garlic and shallots; sauté 1 minute.
- Pour in white wine and reduce by half.
- Add seafood broth, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice.
- Simmer 3–4 minutes.
Combine Pasta & Seafood
- Add cooked pasta into sauce and toss well.
- Return seafood to the pan.
- Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve
- Top with parsley and lemon juice.
- Serve warm in deep bowls.
Notes
- Swap mussels for scallops or clams.
- Add cherry tomatoes for color contrast.
- Use high-quality squid ink pasta for best flavor.
- Sauce should be glossy—not dry. Add broth if needed.
- For spicier pasta, increase red pepper flakes.