Looking for the most elegant, dramatic, and deliciously spooky main course for your grown-up Halloween party? A dish that is as stunning to look at as it is incredible to eat? This show-stopping “Vampire Pasta” is your perfect answer. Inky black squid ink pasta is tossed with plump, juicy shrimp in a classic garlic, white wine, and chili flake sauce. It’s a taste of the dark, mysterious, and delicious side of the sea, and it’s surprisingly easy to make.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to a truly memorable meal. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a perfect, restaurant-quality seafood pasta that is light yet deeply flavorful. The shocking black color of the pasta makes it a natural centerpiece for a sophisticated Halloween dinner, but this elegant dish is so delicious, you’ll want to make it all year round for special date nights and dinner parties.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Spooky & Sophisticated Dinner
What makes this “Vampire Pasta” so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, fresh flavor and its stunning, high-contrast presentation. This dish is essentially a classic Italian shrimp scampi, made unforgettable with the brilliant use of squid ink pasta. The “sauce” is a light, elegant, and simple creation made by sautéing fresh garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil, cooking the shrimp in that fragrant oil, and then deglazing the pan with a splash of dry white wine. The entire dish is brought together with the starchy pasta water, creating a luscious, glossy sauce that perfectly coats every strand of the dramatic, black pasta.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 25 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The “Magic Potion” Ingredients for Your Pasta
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality ingredients to create its signature elegant and savory flavor.
- The Squid Ink Pasta (The Heart of the Darkness!):
- What is it?: Squid ink pasta (pasta al nero di seppia) is a classic Italian specialty made by incorporating the dark, black ink from squid or cuttlefish directly into the pasta dough.
- What does it taste like?: Don’t be intimidated by the name! Squid ink pasta does not have a strong, “fishy” flavor. Instead, it has a wonderfully subtle, rich, and savory flavor with a hint of briny sea saltiness that is the perfect, natural partner for seafood like shrimp.
- Where to find it: You can find high-quality, dry squid ink pasta in the pasta aisle of most specialty grocery stores, at Italian markets, or easily online.
- The Shrimp: A pound of large, plump shrimp is the sweet and succulent star of the dish. Using shrimp that is already peeled and deveined is a fantastic time-saver.
- The Simple, Elegant Sauce:
- Garlic & Olive Oil: It is essential to use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil and freshly minced garlic as the primary flavor base.
- Dry White Wine: A splash of a dry, crisp white wine like a Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc is used to deglaze the pan. This adds a bright, complex, and acidic note that is crucial for a sophisticated sauce.
- The “Liquid Gold” (Starchy Pasta Water!): This is the most important secret ingredient for a perfect sauce! The cloudy, starchy, salty water left over from cooking your pasta is the magic, natural emulsifier that transforms the simple wine and olive oil into a cohesive, silky, and surprisingly creamy sauce.
Step-by-Step to Perfect “Vampire Pasta”
This elegant meal comes together in the time it takes to boil your pasta.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta (and Save That Liquid Gold!)
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook your 12 ounces of squid ink pasta according to the package directions until it is perfectly al dente.
Crucial Pro Tip: Just before you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy, salty pasta water. This is the most important ingredient for your sauce! Drain the cooked pasta.
Part 2: Build the Garlic and Shrimp Pan Sauce
Step 1: In a large skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and the 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute, until the garlic is very fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Step 2: Add your 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp to the hot, infused oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and have curled into a “C” shape.
Step 3 (Deglaze the Pan!): Pour in the 1/4 cup of white wine. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any delicious, flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the sauce has reduced slightly.
Part 3: Combine and Create the Perfect Sauce
Step 1: Add the hot, drained squid ink pasta to the skillet with the shrimp and the garlic sauce.
Step 2 (The Magic Step!): Add about 1/2 cup of your reserved, hot starchy pasta water to the skillet. Toss everything together vigorously with a pair of tongs. The starchy water will combine with the wine and the olive oil to create a beautiful, light, and glossy sauce that clings to every noodle. If the sauce seems too dry, you can add another splash of the pasta water.
Season the pasta with salt and pepper to your taste. Garnish generously with the fresh parsley and serve immediately in warm, shallow bowls.
Spooky ‘Vampire’ Pasta (Easy Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp!)
A simple yet dramatic pasta dish, this ‘Vampire Pasta’ gets its spooky, black color from squid ink pasta. The recipe features a classic Italian-style preparation where shrimp are quickly sautéed in a flavorful sauce of olive oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. The pan is then deglazed with white wine to create a light sauce. The cooked squid ink pasta is tossed with the shrimp and sauce, and the dish is finished with a garnish of fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 12 oz squid ink pasta
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the squid ink pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are pink and opaque.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the shrimp and garlic sauce and toss to combine.
- Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- The ‘Vampire’ theme of this dish comes from the striking black color of the squid ink pasta, making it a perfect meal for a Halloween dinner party.
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they can become tough very quickly.
- This is a very quick meal, with the sauce coming together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A delicate seafood pasta like this one is at its absolute peak of perfection in the moments right after it is made.
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive meal, you can get a head start by chopping your garlic and parsley ahead of time.
- Storage: Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 1 to 2 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this dish is to do so gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat. You will likely need to add a generous splash of water or broth to help loosen the sauce and bring back its silky consistency. Be careful not to overcook the delicate shrimp.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Creative Recipe Variations (“Make it Your Own Potion!”)
- Add a Different Seafood: This delicious and simple sauce is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of seared sea scallops, some tender calamari, or a mix of your favorite seafood.
- Add a Burst of Fresh Tomato: For a beautiful pop of color and a touch of sweetness, you can add about 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet to sauté along with the garlic.
- Use a Different Pasta (if you can’t find squid ink): If you can’t find squid ink pasta, you can still create a delicious, classic shrimp scampi with this same recipe using regular spaghetti or linguine. For a similar dramatic, black color, you can sometimes find squid ink sold in small jars or packets at specialty stores, and you can add about 1-2 teaspoons of it to your sauce.
Enjoy Your Ultimate Spooky & Sophisticated Dinner!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of high-quality ingredients and classic, time-honored technique. This “Vampire Pasta” is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to be both incredibly fast and wonderfully elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new favorite for special occasions.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What does squid ink pasta actually taste like? Is it “fishy”?
Not at all! High-quality squid ink pasta has a very subtle, smooth, and rich flavor. It has a mild brininess and a hint of sea salt that is much less intense than something like an oyster or an anchovy. It is the perfect, natural complement to seafood, and it does not have a strong or overpowering “fishy” taste.
Q2: Where can I buy squid ink pasta?
You can typically find dry squid ink pasta (it will be labeled as pasta al nero di seppia) in the pasta aisle of most specialty grocery stores, at Italian markets, or easily from a variety of retailers online.
Q3: What is the absolute secret to a perfect, non-oily pan sauce for pasta?
The number one secret is the starchy pasta water! This cloudy, salty water that your pasta has cooked in is full of wonderful, dissolved starches. This “liquid gold” is the perfect, natural emulsifier. When you add a generous splash of it to your pan with the olive oil and wine and toss it vigorously with the hot pasta, it helps to create an incredibly creamy, luscious, and glossy sauce that clings perfectly to every single noodle without a drop of cream.
Q4: Can I make this pasta dish ahead of time?
This dish comes together so incredibly quickly (in about 20 minutes) that it is at its absolute best when it is made and served fresh, so the shrimp is perfectly tender and the sauce is glossy.
Q5: What is the best kind of white wine to use for a cooking sauce like this one?
You want to use a dry, crisp white wine that you would enjoy drinking. There’s no need for an expensive bottle! A good quality Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or an unoaked Chardonnay are all fantastic choices. Avoid using sweet wines like a Moscato or a Riesling.