Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta with Greek Yogurt

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta is a very quick and easy dish to whip up! It takes a total of about 20 minutes from start to finish. The sauce in this recipe is insanely tasty! It's creamy, sweet, and has a little kick to it. It's also made using Greek yogurt, giving it that healthier feel!

This recipe needs to be made on repeat because it's that damn delicious! I also advise buying raw shrimp.  Make sure you get deveined and shells off!  Unless you feel like sitting there peeling shrimp and cutting their veins out.  Puke!

Greek yogurt has been on trend when it comes to healthy snack options. When you add it right into your dish, it brings a lot more nutrition to the table, as well.

I am a mother to 4 beautiful children and my youngest is only 4 months old so I barely have any time to make dinner these days. I am always looking for quick dishes that I can make that are still healthy! I promise you THIS meal was a fan favorite in my house, took MINIMAL time to throw together, and nailed my criteria. You're welcome 🙂

If you're looking for other quick, healthy dinner ideas you need to try my Coconut Crusted Chicken Strips and my Lemon Garlic Salmon in a Creamy Greek Yogurt Sauce!

Ingredients needed

Here is a list of all the ingredients needed to make this easy shrimp dish.

• olive oil - this is the best kind of oil to sear your shrimp in. Wait until your oil is hot enough before adding in your shrimp. You want the oil to shimmer before adding your shrimp.
• minced garlic - garlic enhances the flavor of shrimp. It doesn't just have a flavor of its own, but it helps the shrimp to taste even better.
• shrimp - you want shells removed and the shrimp deveined. I recommend purchasing raw shrimp. If you use already cooked shrimp that only needs to be heated up, it tends to overcook the shrimp and give it a more chewy texture.
• Plain Greek yogurt - using Greek yogurt in place of the original ingredient in this dish which is mayonnaise gives this meal a major nutrition makeover. Greek yogurt has a ton more protein and way fewer calories than mayo does.
• Sweet chili sauce - I absolutely LOVE this sauce. If you've never cooked with it before you need to start. It's sweet, spicy, thick, and the taste is out of this world delicious.
• Siracha sauce - this sauce is extremely spicy which is why I only recommend using 1 teaspoon. If you aren't a fan of spice you could even cut the amount down to ½ a teaspoon.
• Cornstarch - this ingredient is used to thicken sauces. Cornstarch is spongelike so it will soak up any excess water.
• Linguine or Spaghetti - I prefer using linguine because it has a thicker surface so it pairs well with thicker, creamier sauces. Linguine also compliments seafood very well which is another positive.
• Fresh parsley - chopped. This herb adds a pop of color to your final product making your dish look that much more appetizing.

Directions for this meal

Step-by-Step directions for making a healthier bang bang shrimp.

Step 1 - Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat and add olive oil.  Once warm, add garlic and cook until fragrant. 

Step 2 - Add shrimp and cook until opaque; about 8 minutes.  

Step 3 - Meanwhile, for the sauce - in a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, ground black pepper, and salt. Set aside.

Step 4 - Add the cornstarch to the shrimp and garlic. 

Step 5 - Then add the sweet chili sauce and mix well.  The cornstarch will help thicken up your chili sauce.  Cook until heated through. 

Step 6 - Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Step 7 - Add pasta to the shrimp mix and toss to combine. Plate your pasta and shrimp dish and top with fresh parsley. Serve immediately!

How can the kids help

• Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl.  Mix well to combine. 
• Help measure out each ingredient.  Can be a fun disguised math lesson 😉
• Pull off all the stems from your parsley.  My 3-year-old loved this for some reason!

Substitutions

Here are a few substitutions for the ingredients list!

Plain Greek Yogurt - I absolutely love greek yogurt. I use it as a healthy substitute in a ton of my meals. If you happen to not have greek yogurt on hand or are just not a fan then you can substitute in mayonnaise.

Sriracha Sauce - this ingredient has a strong kick to it. That is why I only use 1 teaspoon in this recipe. If you really can't handle spicy foods then I would omit this ingredient. I will say the small amount used only gives it a tiny amount of spice.

Cornstarch - I used cornstarch as a thickening agent in this recipe. Some other thickening agents you can use instead are flour, arrowroot, or gelatin. There are a couple of other thickening agents, but those are the few that I have tried and have worked!

What type of pasta to use

When it comes to choosing your pasta I always use whole wheat. Whole wheat has more protein and fiber than refined pasta. When you choose what type of noodle to use I recommend using long and light noodles for this dish. Taste of home ranks linguine as the number one pasta to use with your seafood. Here are some other options of noodles I've use that also taste delish.

• spaghetti
• penne
• macroni
• rigatoni
• angel hair
• pappardelle

Can also try quinoa or zucchini noodles!

The health benefits of shrimp

First and foremost, is shrimp healthy?  Here are some fun facts about the nutrition that comes from shrimp.

• Shrimp is low in calories, which is always a plus in my eyes.
• It is also rich in nutrients!
• Shrimp only has 84 calories in a 3-ounce serving and has zero carbs! 
• About 90% of the calories in shrimp come from protein, and the rest come from fat. 
• Shrimp also promotes heart health due to its content in omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant astaxanthin. 

Cookware needed

Here is a list of the cookware needed to make this quick and easy dinner recipe.

• Large non-stick skillet - you will need a large skillet to hold the entire dish in after adding the pasta.
• Large Pot - you will need a large pot for boiling your pasta noodles.
• Colander - when you drain your pasta it will be drained in a colander. A basic colander will work just fine.

Tips and FAQ's

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