Dark pasta and a white plate give Squid Ink Pasta with White Wine Cream Sauce a “black tie” effect. Super fancy, but also super easy and quick in time!
Black Squid Ink Pasta
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, this is black pasta.
Take a moment. Let it sink in. Squid ink pasta gets its color from the ink of a squid. People will also use the ink of a cuttlefish which is in the same family.
Technically speaking, squid ink pasta is vegetarian because the ink is an animal byproduct, much like egg or milk. However, it is not vegan.
After accepting the color, you will naturally think to yourself, “What does squid ink pasta taste like”?
Squid Ink Pasta Taste
It tastes just like the regular pasta you know and love, only this version has a little bit of a subtle briny flavor and just a little extra salt. No “fishy” taste here. The same as if pasta was boiled in really salty water.
You’ll see most black pasta in the form of squid ink spaghetti and sometimes artfully lined on ravioli or tagliatelle and other shapes. The black color demands to be noticed!
Squid Ink Pasta Ingredients
Besides fresh squid ink pasta, there are no special ingredients. All can be found at your local grocery store or might even be in your pantry.
- Squid ink spaghetti – Also sometimes called cuttlefish ink, you want this to be cooked to al dente. It can be hard to find, so I usually just grab mine from an Italian market/specialty shop or order it online. Sometimes you can locate it at Trader Joe.
- Large dry scallops – Make sure the muscle removed and they are patted dry. I prefer dry sea scallops and large shrimp, but you can certainly substitute chicken, beef or another seafood.
- Jumbo shrimp – Pasta with scallops and shrimp with pasta are fairly traditional, but did you know that in Italy, the thought of pairing seafood with any sort of dairy or cheese is unheard of. This recipe would also taste great with a pan fried fish like halibut or salmon, too.
- Garlic and shallot – Freshly minced garlic cloves and a large chopped shallot add so much flavor to this dish.
- Butter – We use butter to saute the seafood, but also mixed with flour to form a roux that is the base of our sauce.
- Flour – We need some sort of thickening agent for this sauce, and when mixed with melted butter and forming a roux, that’s exactly what flour does.
- White wine – This is really dependent on personal preference, but generally speaking a nice, crisp pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc works well in this recipe.
- Lemon zest – I love the brightness that lemon brings to a dish. The zest allows for flavor without being too overly citrusy.
- Heavy cream – This will be what makes this squid pasta sauce creamy. I like the contrast rather than a traditional red sauce.
- Crushed red pepper – You can omit this if you don’t like spice, but I like to add a little bit of heat to my pasta.
- Parsley – This is optional, but highly recommended due to the color and freshness that fresh parsley adds to the dish.
- Fine sea salt & pepper – I always like to use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can add these to taste, and even add some red chile flakes for extra heat.
- Parmesan cheese – You can’t go wrong with cheese. Shaved parmesan cheese is my favorite to use and it’s the perfect match to all the other flavors.
- Grape tomatoes – Adding a little pop of color and also flavor, halved grape tomatoes are an excellent addition to this squid ink pasta recipe.
How to Make Squid Ink Pasta
Squid ink pasta is cooked just like any other pasta, in boiling salted water. Cook, stirring occasionally, to prevent sticking. You can also lightly toss in olive oil, if you desire.
Use the directions on the package because like most pastas, the cooking time will vary based on size.
- Cook pasta. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to pasta directions. No need to add extra salt, as this pasta has a salty taste. Drain and return to the pot, tossing with 2 tablespoons butter to coat the pasta and prevent it from sticking.
- Melt butter. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. When hot, add 4 tablespoons butter. Do not allow to get too hot or the butter will burn.
- Cook scallops and shrimp. Add scallops, searing on each side. Remove and set aside. Add shrimp, cooking until pink and slightly curled. Remove and set aside.
- Add shallots and garlic. Add remaining butter, shallots, and garlic, stirring. Then add flour, scraping up butter and bits to a paste.
- Pour in wine. While stirring, pour in white wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil, reducing slightly.
- Add remining ingredients. Stir in lemon zest, heavy cream, crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Season with fine sea salt and pepper. Return seafood to the pan, spooning sauce over to reheat. The sauce should be a loose, creamy sauce, but not heavy.
- Spoon sauce over pasta. Divide squid ink spaghetti and seafood between bowls, spooning sauce over top. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and grape tomatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Just like any other pasta dish, I like to make a nice green salad and maybe a side of garlic bread to mop up any extra sauce in the bowl. I’m a shrimp lover, so I’ve even started off this dish with a plate of shrimp cocktail. Don’t judge…
You can also make some of our favorite starters like a cheese board or even caprese skewers.
I also include small bowls of additional Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes on the table.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay for up to three to five days.
Freezing: You can also freeze cooked pasta with or without the sauce. Let cool completely then add to an airtight container or freezer bag.
More amazing pasta recipes:
- Pesto Pasta Sausage Bake
- Spaghetti and Peas
- Tortellini Alfredo with Ham and Peas
- Garlic Parmesan Linguine Recipe
Easy Authentic Carbonara Recipe
Easy Pomodoro Sauce
Spinach Stuffed Shells
Squid Ink Pasta with White Wine Cream Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces squid ink spaghetti
- 8 large dry scallops , muscle removed and patted dry
- 8 jumbo shrimp , patted dry
- 1 large shallot , minced
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 8 tablespoons butter , divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , finely grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley , roughly chopped
- Fine sea salt & pepper
- Shaved Parmesan cheese , for garnish
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes , halved
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to pasta directions. No need to add extra salt, as this pasta has a salty taste. Drain and return to the pot, tossing with 2 tablespoons butter to coat the pasta and prevent it from sticking.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. When hot, add 4 tablespoons butter. Do not allow to get too hot or the butter will burn.
- Add scallops, searing on each side for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add shrimp, cooking until pink and slightly curled. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining butter, shallots, and garlic, stirring for 2 minutes. Add flour, scraping up butter and bits to a paste.
- While stirring, pour in white wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil, reducing slightly.
- Stir in lemon zest, heavy cream, crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Season with fine sea salt and pepper. Return seafood to the pan, spooning sauce over to reheat for approximately 2-3 minutes. The sauce should be a loose, creamy sauce, but not heavy.
- Divide squid ink spaghetti and seafood between bowls, spooning sauce over top. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and grape tomatoes.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!
I was not a fan of the sauce in the pan, but with the squid ink pasta it was perfect. I cut the cream in half and squeezed in half the lemon to lighten it up a little. I will make this again and will also be checking out more recipes from you!
Thanks for the feedback and glad it turned out better than you thought it would 🙂
Great recipe would change a couple details.
I wanted to make this less heavy and a little more fresh so here’s what i did.
I used olive oil on the strained pasta instead of butter just a drizzle.
I did use the 4 tblsp for the seafood, but then ji drained a tiny bit off and let the seafood drain what was left. Then i used some olive oil instead of the rest of the butter. I added the flour first into the butter makijg a roux. This seemed to work well and actually deglazed the caked on butter solids perfectly by itself somehow.
Then i added far less cream. Maybe a third of what was called for and more parsely than was called for with a little more stem than usual. Only used a little scoop of parmesean. I dont think it needs it. Then in the final step when sauteing the pasta back in i added the tomatoes to get them a little softer and incorporate them. I think that intermittent burst of acidity made this dish so much cleaner and fresher. I cant imagine making jt as noted here. And i do have a stomach for heavy foods
Thanks for the feedback!
Just made this recipe and it came out great! Definitely will be using this recipe again!
Yay! Thanks for letting us know! It is one of our favorites too 🙂
SO good! I hadn’t even made squid ink pasta before, but it really was as easy as you say. Not too much difference in taste either. I will make this again for a special occasion.
My first time making squid ink pasta, the cream sauce is perfect!
I’ve always loved squid ink pasta but never have given it a try at home but thanks to this great video now I can. So elegant looking!
Oh, it is so easy. Just like regular pasta, just add a light sauce. I agree with you on the elegance, I like of the black pasta and white sauce like a “tuxedo” effect- all black tie fancy, but ready in less than 30 minutes. Best of both worlds.
This looks incredibly delicious. Can I hire you as my personal chef? lol.
This looks so amazing. Restaurant style dinner 🙂 Love it! Must give this a try soon. My family will be so surprised with black pasta.
You think it’d be an improvement if I boiled the shrimps’ shells to make a stock, and then boil the pasta in it, instead of plain water? Or it would make the squid ink pasta overwhelmingly briny? Recipe looks great, I can’t wait to try it.
I’m thinking it might be a little much on the briny front, but that will really depend on the flavor of the stock. I wouldn’t boil in exclusively stock either- instead maybe 25% stock, 75% water?
Great Article. I never knew that squid ink pasta didn’t have much taste.