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.
Is squid ink pasta vegetarian? 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 pasta you know and love, only this version has a little bit of a briny bite 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!
Where Do I Buy Black Pasta?
It can be hard to find, so I usually just grab mine from an Italian market/speciality shop or order it online. Sometimes you can locate it at Trader Joes.
How Do I Cook It?
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.
Pasta Sauce
The key to making squid ink pasta really sing is pairing it with the right sauce. It shouldn’t be too heavy, too salty, or too dark in color- think delicate and light.
A white wine sauce thickened ever so slightly with cream is the best in my book. Give it a “tuxedo” effect.
I paired my sauce with fresh cherry tomatoes and lemon juice (or zest). If you like more heat, add crushed red pepper to taste, but don’t overwhelm the seafood or the pasta.
You wouldn’t want to cover up that beautiful black pasta with a rich, tomato-based sauce, would you? Nope.
What if my white wine sauce is too thick? If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out slightly with cooking water, like carbonara sauce, or with additional white wine.
What if my white wine sauce is too thin? Make a slurry using flour, cornstarch or arrowroot. Whisk with a small amount of water or sauce and then add to larger batch.
Be mindful that the sauce will thicken as it cools, so don’t add too much when it doesn’t thicken immediately.
Wine
What white wine should I use when cooking? This is really dependant on personal preference, but generally speaking a nice, crisp pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc works well in this recipe.
White cooking wine can also be used. It has a good amount of flavor, but it shelf stable for long periods of time with refrigeration. It stays this way due to added salt, so use additional salt sparingly and taste before adding any at all.
Alcohol in the wine will cook off so it is safe for pregnant women and children to indulge in as well.
Shrimp & Scallops
In terms of protein, it is a bit of a no-brainer. Seafood is the perfect match.
I prefer dry sea scallops and large shrimp, but you can certainly substitute chicken, beef or another seafood. Fresh squid is a natural pairing too.
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.
Seafood, on the other hand, is very common. While in the states we think of being a locavore as a novelty and food trend, in Italy, it is the standard and being on the sea, so is seafood.
What Should I Serve It With?
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.
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.
More amazing pasta recipes:
Tools:
Micrograter– A small kitchen utensil you find you use a lot more than you expected!
Cast Iron Skillet– Yes they are heavy, yes they take a little extra TLC. Are using cast iron pans worth it? YES!!! Just buy one and you’ll thank me later!
I have both pre-seasoned and unseasoned. I like them both for different reasons. Here are some quick instructions on how to season cast iron and how to clean cast iron.
Dutch Oven– every kitchen should have one! They are heavy. They are expensive. They are worth it!
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Squid Ink Pasta with White Wine Cream Sauce
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!
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.
Amazing dish. One of our favorites. We’ll be making this again very soon.
Awesome! We love to hear that and thank you for taking the time to come back and let us know.
This was so delicious and the whole family loved it but any way to make it a lower calorie dish?
Hi Kathy! You could reduce the cheese and butter and swap out light cream for heavy cream or reduce/omit the seafood, but the sauce might be a little thinner. It is really supposed to be a special dish so I wasn’t aiming for low cal.
Hi i am so glad i found your recipe we were Gifted squid Ink pasta from Italy and your recipe was so delicious and perfeCt.i cant rave about this enough when we crave PaSta this is it! All we did was add capers and mussels. Thank you for sharing!
We are glad you enjoyed it!
Just like Darla, in the f ollowing comment, I too am confused as to when the lemon zest is supposed be used. There is no mention of it other than in the list of ingrdients.
With the cream.
Where do you use the lemon zest? As a garnish or in the sauce. The instructions are not clear on how it is used.
With the cream, but you can use extra for garnish if you like.
Looks great but there is no mention of how many it is for. Looks like for about 4. It would be very helpful to state the number
Hi Tony! Thanks for catching that for me- you are correct, it serves 4 and I will update that straight away.
Hi Tony! Yes, it serves 4. I recently switched some things and it seems the servings did not translate.
I gotta say, that’s new. I’d never heard of this type of pasta. I’d like to try it. I’m intrigued.
I’ve never heard of squid ink pasta. I’m definitely curious about it now though!
That would take a lot of wine for me to try, I think…I love shellfish, but I get a little icky about squid and stuff. :/
This slightly freaks me out. I’ve never heard of squid ink pasta before, you’re so brave, LOL!
I think I have had this pasta. Cant remember if it was on a cruise or what. Never knew what it was.
I saw them make this on America’s Worst Cooks! Not sure my family would eat it though.
This looks really goo!d! Cant say I’ve ever had squid ink pasta I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it before now!
The colour of the pasta makes the dish so interesting to look at. It looks delicious and I bet it smells amazing too.
Squid Ink Pasta is a new flavor and color to me. I’m always game to try the veggie-colored pastas, so just may give this pasta a try.
We are going to have to give this one a try. It looks delicious and healthy.
I have seen squid ink pasta on the menu in a few restaurants but would never have thought to attempt it myself. I think the overall appearance is awesome!
Squid ink pasta looks like it would be fun to try. I don’t think i would have a problem eating black pasta.
Your white wine cream sauce sounds divine. Not sure about the squid ink pasta though.
Interesting dish. The photo reminded me of licorice at first glance. I love pasta so much, I’d definitely give squid ink pasta a try!
I’ve wanted to try a squid ink pasta for a while now. Now that I know it doesn’t taste fishy it’s much more appetizing to me!
I have never heard of squid ink pasta! Very interesting. I would surely give it a try!
I’ve never tried squid ink pasta before, but I’d certainly give it a go. It actually sounds really tasty.
I had no idea there was even such a thing as squid ink pasta. I guess they make something out of everything. Sounds like it tastes interesting.
LOVE love this dish! We followed it almost exactly (added capers like another commenter said, and didn’t have red pepper flakes so we used a pinch of Tajin) and it turned out amazingly. The balance of flavors is just to die for! The lemon zest really sets it off, and the tomatoes on top add the perfect tanginess and texture. 10/10, will make again.
Awesome! We love to hear that and agree that capers are a fabulous addition.
I had a pasta almost exactly like this is Downtown Disney before the Princess Half in 2014. It was divine and lighter than I would have thought.
I have never heard of this, but it sounds interesting. It would be fun to make this on Halloween and surprise the kids. I won’t tell them what it is.
Well, that’s the most interesting ingredient I’ve seen to date. I’ve never even heard of squid ink pasta. Thanks for sharing!
We don’t eat seafood in our house, but I bet there are a lot of people drooling over this right now.
My hubby hates seafood but he might actually eat this if it doesn’t have that fishy taste! Love it!
Your squid ink pasta recipe is fabulous. I love squid ink pasta, and I love putting shrimp and squid in it. This recipe is right up my alley.