Umami-Packed Kung Pao Spaghetti With Shrimp, Peanuts, And Bold...

Umami-Packed Kung Pao Spaghetti With Shrimp, Peanuts, And Bold Sauce. California Pizza Kitchen Style

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

California Pizza Kitchen may be best known for pizza (after all, it is in the name), but that doesn't mean that pasta isn't a highlight of the menu as well. You'll find familiar pasta favorites on the CPK menu, like spaghetti bolognese, garlic cream fettuccine, and mac and cheese, along with more unique offerings, like the spicy, umami-forward, and peanut-infused kung pao spaghetti. Recipe developer Patterson Watkins recreates the beloved pasta dish in her copycat California Pizza Kitchen kung pao spaghetti recipe, but she veers away from the typical kung pao pairing of chicken and instead opts for juicy, succulent shrimp instead.

Watkins describes the final dish as something of a "pasta/stir-fry combo," and she gives credit to California Pizza Kitchen for really nailing the flavor profile. "The spices, aromatics, and accumulated flavors are bold without being overpowering," she says, describing the dish as "dramatically gourmet-tasting." She goes on to highlight the sauce in particular: "The dried red chile-spiked sauce is perfectly 'kung pao' spicy with a nice balance of sweet and savory," she says. You'll also get "perky pops" from sauteed garlic and ginger, along with a nice textural element from the final garnish of peanuts and fresh scallions. Basically, this isn't your average pasta/stir-fry hybrid dish, but it is one that is downright delicious — and one that does the original California Pizza Kitchen version justice.

Gather the ingredients for copycat California Pizza Kitchen kung pao spaghetti with shrimp

Ingredients for kung pao spaghetti with shrimp

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

This recipe begins with the sauce, which consists of chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, black vinegar, and cornstarch. Next, you'll need large, raw shrimp, along with olive oil, minced garlic, minced shallot, minced ginger, dried red chiles, scallions, roasted peanuts, and shaoxing wine. Finally, you'll want cooked spaghetti to assemble the dish, along with even more peanuts and scallions to garnish the final creation.

Step 1: Add the sauce ingredients to a bowl

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

To make the sauce base, place the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, black vinegar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

Step 2: Whisk the sauce

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Whisk to combine the sauce base and set it aside.

Step 3: Pat the shrimp dry

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

Step 4: Heat the olive oil

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Step 5: Cook the shrimp

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Once hot, add the shrimp, and stir-fry until lightly seared and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Step 6: Set the shrimp aside

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set it aside on a clean plate.

Step 7: Add the remaining olive oil to the pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.

Step 8: Add the aromatics and peanuts to the pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the garlic, shallot, ginger, dried peppers, the white scallion parts, and 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts.

Step 9: Stir-fry the aromatics and peanuts

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the veggies are tender and fragrant.

Step 10: Deglaze with shaoxing wine

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Deglaze the skillet with the wine and simmer until the wine has mostly evaporated.

Step 11: Add the sauce and simmer

Sauce, minced aromatics, and dried chiles in pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the sauce base to the skillet and whisk to combine with the veggies. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes.

Step 12: Add the spaghetti and shrimp

Shrimp and spaghetti in pan on top of sauce

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Once thickened, add the cooked spaghetti noodles and shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat.

Step 13: Cook until the shrimp and noodles are heated through

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles and shrimp have reheated, about 1 minute more.

Step 14: Transfer the pasta to bowls

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Divide the sauced noodles and shrimp between bowls.

Step 15: Garnish the kung pao spaghetti with peanuts and scallions

Kung pao spaghetti with shrimp in bowl next to small bowls of peanuts and scallions

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Garnish the bowls with the green scallion parts and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts before serving.

What pairs well with Kung Pao spaghetti?

Spicy, umami-forward, and peanut-infused saucy noodles are topped with juicy shrimp in our copycat California Pizza Kitchen kung pao spaghetti recipe.

Kung pao spaghetti with shrimp served in bowls

For the sauce
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon black vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the shrimp and assembly
1 ½ pounds large raw shrimp, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 shallot, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
3 dried red chile peppers
1 bunch scallions, chopped with white and green parts separated
4 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts, divided
¼ cup shaoxing or sherry wine
1 pound thick spaghetti noodles, cooked, drained, and cooled

To make the sauce base, place the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, black vinegar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
Whisk to combine the sauce base and set it aside.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add the shrimp, and stir-fry until lightly seared and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set it aside on a clean plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.
Add the garlic, shallot, ginger, dried peppers, the white scallion parts, and 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts.
Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the veggies are tender and fragrant.
Deglaze the skillet with the wine and simmer until the wine has mostly evaporated.
Add the sauce base to the skillet and whisk to combine with the veggies. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes.
Once thickened, add the cooked spaghetti noodles and shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat.
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles and shrimp have reheated, about 1 minute more.
Divide the sauced noodles and shrimp between bowls.
Garnish the bowls with the green scallion parts and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts before serving.

Calories per Serving	1,137
Total Fat	27.6 g
Saturated Fat	4.2 g
Trans Fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol	369.9 mg

Total Carbohydrates	143.1 g
Dietary Fiber	8.5 g
Total Sugars	16.7 g
Sodium	1,692.9 mg
Protein	76.5 g

The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Can I make this kung pao spaghetti recipe more or less spicy?

Kung pao spaghetti with shrimp served in bowls

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

If you're familiar with classic kung pao chicken, then you likely can estimate the spice level of this kung pao spaghetti — there's definitely a kick from the dried chiles, but it's not overwhelmingly spicy. Watkins notes that she intentionally pared down the amount of dried chiles in this recipe so as to keep things from getting too hot. "Not all dried red chile peppers are created equal, and some pack a mighty punch," she explains. In case the peppers you opt for are on the spicier side, your pasta will still taste well-balanced since you're only adding three chiles to the mix.

Of course, if you know for a fact that you'll want to turn up the heat, you can add even more dried chiles to your dish. "If you're a little short of dried peppers, you can also use crushed red pepper flakes, sambal, or chili garlic sauce instead," Watkins recommends. "Start small with these substitutions, tasting as you go until you achieve your desired heat." Finally, she notes that fresh red chile peppers are a viable option in this recipe, but as with all the other recommendations, start with small inclusions and build the heat gradually to taste (because once something becomes too spicy, it's hard to backtrack on it).

Can I use a different type of protein or noodle in this recipe?

If you've ordered kung pao spaghetti at a California Pizza Kitchen before, then you know that shrimp isn't the only protein option. The pasta itself comes plain, without a meat topping, but you can choose to add either shrimp, chicken or a combination of both, and you can follow suit with this copycat recipe. "If you opt for chicken, thinly slice the raw chicken breast into slivers or slices so you can still follow the suggested cooking times for this recipe," Watkins advises. Also, if you want to keep the dish vegetarian, swap out the chicken broth for vegetable and top off the pasta with seared or fried tofu instead.

Protein aside, there's also room for customization when it comes to the type of noodle you use in this recipe. Watkins says spaghetti wouldn't be her first choice here, "I gotta admit, thick spaghetti noodles are not really my jam. If I was crafting this recipe outside of this copycat, I probably would've picked either a flat linguine or fettuccini noodle (still maximum slurp-age, just without the pain point of trying to grasp slippy spaghetti with chopsticks)." She adds that wide rice noodles would also work well in this recipe.