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This Shrimp Spaghetti with sambal bechamel sauce brings a unique fusion of comfort and spice to your table, perfect for any pasta lover looking to try something new!
If you’re craving pasta with a twist, this Shrimp Spaghetti with creamy bechamel Sauce will hit the spot. This dish is a fusion of Southeast Asian and the basic creamy French Bechamel sauce. It combines tender shrimp, a silky bechamel sauce, and a spicy kick from sambal oelek, bringing together creamy, buttery, and spicy flavors.
Shrimp Spaghetti with Creamy Sambal Sauce
Ingredients
- 225 g dry spaghetti
- 450 g large shrimp peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
Creamy sambal sauce:
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk plus more as needed, see notes 1
- 2 Tbsp sambal oelek more or less to your taste, see notes 2
Seasonings:
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste
Garnish: (optional)
- Fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped. Parsley or basil works too
Instructions
Cook the onion:
- Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft and slightly browned or caramelized for extra flavor, about 5 minutes or so. Remove the onion from the skillet
Cook the shrimp:
- Pat the shrimp dry with absorbent paper towel
- To the same skillet, add the rest of the 1 Tbsp of butter and let it melt. Add the shrimp and cook over medium heat. Season with a small pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook until the shrimp turn pink, which may take about 2-5 minutes or so, depending on the size of the shrimp you use. Remove the shrimp from the skillet
Cook the spaghetti:
- Bring a large pot of a water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the instruction on the package. You want to cook it to al dente (firm to bite)
While spaghetti is boiling, prepare the sambal sauce:
- Heat up the milk in the microwave just until it is warm. It doesn't have to be boiling hot. This is to prevent the sauce from forming lumps when you add it to the roux later
- Using the same skillet earlier, preheat the skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp of butter and let it melt. Add all of the all-purpose flour and use a whisk to stir vigorously to form a thick paste, about 2-3 minutes until slightly browned
- Gradually add the milk and keep whisking.
- It may seem to clump up here and there
- Just keep whisking and the sauce will smooth out and start to thicken. This is actually a bit too thick here (as shown in the photo). So I add more milk to thin it out a bit more
- Add the sambal and keep cooking for another 1-2 minutes. If it gets too thick add another splash of milk and keep whisking until you get a sauce that is "runny" in consistency. The sauce continues to thicken as it cools down, so you don't want to cook it until it gets too thick
- Have a taste and season the bechamel sauce with more salt and pepper as needed to suit your taste
Putting everything together:
- When the spaghetti is done cooking, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid and drain off the rest of the liquid. DO NOT rinse the spaghetti so the sauce clings better to the pasta
- Add the cooked spaghetti, onion, and shrimp to the sauce and use a tong to help you toss everything. Make sure the sauce coats everything evenly. Season with salt and pepper to your taste
To serve:
- Serve the spaghetti immediately while it's still nice and warm. Garnish with some chopped fresh cilantro, parsley, or basil if you like
Marv’s Recipe Notes
- I use 2% cow’s milk. You can also use whole milk if you want a richer taste. Evaporated milk can also be used to add extra creaminess
- You can also use your favorite chili sauce such as sriracha chili sauce, garlic chili sauce, or even chili oil if you just want some hint of spiciness
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Useful tips to know
1. Adjust Spice Level: Add more sambal for extra heat or reduce the amount if you prefer a milder kick.
2. For Extra Creaminess: Swap some of the milk with heavy cream, evaporated milk, or coconut milk for a richer texture.
3. Garnish Ideas: A sprinkle of parmesan or a squeeze of lime juice can add extra flavor.
Tips for smooth and silky sambal bechamel sauce
1. Make a Roux: Melt butter in a saucepan, then add an equal amount of flour. Stir and cook this mixture over medium heat for a minute or two, which forms the “roux” and helps eliminate the raw flour taste.
2. Add Milk Gradually: Slowly whisk in milk (usually warmed beforehand) to prevent lumps. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
3. Season: Add the sambal oelek or chili sauce of your choice and whisk until combined
Variations
1. Use a different protein: Instead of shrimp, you can also use leftover rotisserie chicken meat (shredded). You just add it at the last step when you add the onion and spaghetti to the sauce. Other proteins you can use are: pan-fried firm tofu or tempeh, salmon, scallops, ground pork, ground beef, etc.
2. Use different pasta: you can use fettucinne, linguine, papardelle, angel hair or short pasta like penne, rigatoni, orechiette. Gluten-free pasta works well too. These are just a few examples. Sky is the limit!
3. Add some vegetables: edamame, mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers work great too. You can cook them when you cook the onion
