This Smoky Paprika Pasta comes together in 30 minutes or less. Smoked paprika and liquid smoke give it a unique and nuanced flavor.

September 9, 2019 Updated June 21, 2022 Jump to Recipe
This Smoky Paprika Pasta comes together in 30 minutes or less. Smoked paprika and liquid smoke give it a unique and nuanced flavor.
This pasta dish is unique.
Just about all the flavor comes from paprika.
Paprika and smoked paprika are both used in this homemade sauce.
The other major flavor contributor is liquid smoke.
Liquid smoke is basically smoky grill flavor in liquid form. Just a little bit of liquid smoke can transform a dish. It adds notes of smokiness to this sauce that, as you probably guessed, perfectly complement the smoked paprika.
The other great thing about this Smoky Paprika Pasta is that it comes together in 30 minutes or less.
You’ll notice in the recipe instructions that the pasta is cooked only 3/4 of the way before we add the sauce and 1 cup of reserved pasta water.
Cooking the pasta for its remaining few minutes in the sauce helps infuse the pasta with more flavor. It also enriches the sauce with gluten from the pasta. This makes the sauce creamier and thicker.
Make this Smoky Paprika Pasta for a flavorful, quick, and easy weeknight meal.
With the added spinach and peas, you can even feel good about having seconds.
Here’s my favorite liquid smoke [aff. link]. You can’t go wrong with the Mesquite or Hickory Smoked flavors. I rotate between the two. They’re both delicious.
Here’s my favorite paprika and smoked paprika from Simply Organic [aff. links].
You can also find all three of these ingredients in my Amazon store here.
This Post Has 4 Comments
So easy yet packed with flavour! I am not sure if authentic Italian recipes often use smoked notes in pasta, but I personally do love and often add them 🙂 You also beautifully plated the pasta (I always struggle with long and thin pasta!)
Thanks Ben! I agree, smoked paprika is such a great flavor for pasta. Untraditional, but so good!
What a fun idea to use liquid smoke and smoked paprika in a pasta recipe – I can’t believe I’ve never tried that! I do love smoke flavor, and I’m certain this wouldn’t last long in our house. (Also, I’m with Ben – your pasta presentation is gorgeous!!)
This was my first time making pasta sauce, and cooking the pasta in the sauce. It turned out amazing! My family loved it too. This is a repeat, thanks!