Conchiglioni with Shrimp and Chili Oil

This dish is an amazing way to experience the flavors of Shellfish. In our Conchiglioni with Shrimp and Chili Oil recipe the Shrimp shells are used to infuse flavor into the wonderful Chili Oil, which is poured over the finished dish. The Shrimp itself is cooked to perfection and cut up into bite-sized pieces. Along with Cherry Tomatoes, they are a fantastic flavor combination of sweet and savory. The large sized Pasta Shells (known as Conchiglioni) capture all these beautiful flavors perfectly, making for a complete dish that is perfect all year round

Conchiglioni is one of those Pasta types that you’re not going to use every day, but when the right dish comes along, it’s perfect. The Shells are massive and are easily the largest Pasta type you can cook with. They’re awesome as a vessel to contain other ingredients. In this case, Shrimp and Tomatoes

They’re not the kind of Pasta that is eaten in one bit. Quite the contrary in fact, you’ll need a knife and fork and a few decent bites to get through one of these. It is becoming a much more common Pasta type these days, and should be readily available at your local grocery store

If you can’t find it, or don’t fancy working through some massive pasta shells for your home cooking that’s totally fine. In fact, you can make this dish with any kind of Pasta type you choose. From Spirals, to Macaroni, to Ribbons, or even Fettuccini. The dish is going to taste just as good, regardless of what you choose

Of course, the key to a great Conchiglioni with Shrimp and Chili Oil is good quality, fresh seafood

It goes without saying that this dish is going to shine the brightest when using good quality Seafood. Given the Shrimp is used in two ways – the flesh in the dish and the shells in the Chili Oil, you want to ensure you’re using the best quality Shrimp you can get your hands on

I always recommend heading to a local specialty Fish shop instead of buying Seafood from the grocery store if you can. The specialty shops (such as Fish Mongers) most often are much more aware of the quality of the Seafood they are stocking and can guide you in the right direction. They’ll know when the Seafood has come in, where it was caught, and can recommend the best quality for what you are after

You don’t necessarily have to live by the ocean to get your hands on good quality Shrimp either. Almost all seafood is frozen before it makes its way to the store anyway, so provided the Seafood has been properly prepared and shipped, you can still get some great quality Shrimp even if you live in the middle of the country

For the Conchiglioni with Shrimp and Chili Oil Recipe we require Shrimp with their shells on. You don’t necessarily need the heads, just the shells. It may be difficult to come across Shell on / no head Shrimp, so just get the whole Shrimp and discard the Shrimp. Or, even better, save the Shrimp heads and turn them into a wonderful Shrimp Stock

The real star of this dish is the amazing Chili Oil, infused with the flavors of Shrimp

It’s simply amazing how much flavor you can infuse into Oil in such a short time with this recipe. In fact, all you need is 10 minutes to get the most delicious tasting and smelling Chili Oil for this recipe. The Shrimp Shells are added to a pot filled with 1 cup of Olive Oil along with a bunch of aromatics and Chili. They are heated over low heat and after 10 minutes it’s done. The smell will be immediately prevalent. A beautiful scent of Shellfish mixed with Chili that you just can’t wait to eat

The Spice mix for our Chili Oil consists of Chili Flakes, Fennel Seeds, Smoked Paprika, and Szechuan Peppercorns. You can replace the Szechuan Peppercorns with regular Black Peppercorns if you like, but be sure to include the Pepper as it will add a different kind of head to the dish

Once the Dish is complete, all you need to do is drizzle over a (generous) helping of this amazing Chili Oil to complete the plate. This recipe will produce more than enough Chili Oil, so you’ll have plenty leftovers. We recommend trying it alongside some delicious Dumpling. The combination of Shrimp and Pork dumplings with the Chili Oil are simply amazing. Check out our recipe here, we know you’re going to love it!

Conchiglioni with Shrimp and Chili Oil Recipe

Ingredients

• 200g Shell on Shrimp
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• 2 Shallots, finely sliced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
• 1 Red Chili, finely sliced
• 150ml White Wine
• 2 tsp. Thyme, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. Oregano, finely chopped (can use dried Oregano)
• 400g Conchiglioni / Large Shell Pasta
• 500g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 200g Shell on Shrimp
• Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
• Basil
• Salt
  
  

Chili Oil Ingredients

• Reserved Shells from Shrimp (excl. Heads)
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 3 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced
• 2 tsp. Chili Flakes
• 2 tsp. Fennel Seeds
• 2 tsp. Szechuan Peppercorns
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
  
  

Instructions

1. Peel and devein the Shrimp, then place the Shrimp Shells in a saucepan over low heat along with all the Chili Oil ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant
2. All Chili Oil to cool then strain into a jar or bowl until ready to serve
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a generous amount of Salt, then add the Conchiglioni. Cook until al dente, (about 10 minutes). Once cooked, strain and set aside, reserving ½ cup of Pasta Water
4. While the Pasta is cooking heat ½ cup of Olive Oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once hot, add Shallots, Garlic, Chili, and Herbs. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring, then add White Wine and bring to a Simmer
5. Add Tomatoes and season with a little salt and cook for 5 – 6 minutes. Chop up Shrimp meat into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until just cooked
6. Remove from heat and stir in Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice. Add cooked Pasta to the pot then slowly pour in the Pasta Water until glossy
7. Serve into individual bowls and drizzle with a generous amount of Chili Oil. Garnish with some torn up Basil Leaves and serve
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Check out our simple video here on how to peel and devein Shrimp
• You can replace the Shrimp with Lobster if you’re feeling fancy (and have the spare cash!)
• The Chili Oil will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator and can be used in a wide variety of tasty dishes
  
  

Give this delicious Conchiglioni with Shrimp and Chili Oil a try next time you’re looking to cook up some Seafood at home. It’s a fun and delicious meal that just comes along when you add that amazing Shrimp flavored Chili Oil to it

If you like this recipe then we recommend you check out some of these favorite Seafood dishes of ours and give them a go too:

• Beer Battered Fish and Chips
• Crispy Skin Snapper with Fish Beurre Blanc
• Shrimp and Grits with Chorizo
• Salmon and Berry Salad
  
  

Happy Cooking!