Description
Restaurant-quality creamy garlic shrimp pasta ready in just 20 minutes! Succulent shrimp tossed with al dente pasta in a luscious garlic cream sauce with white wine, lemon, and Parmesan. Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta and Shrimp:
- 1 pound linguine or fettuccine pasta
- 1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt for pasta water
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Creamy Garlic Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For Garnish:
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Additional Parmesan cheese
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Prepare all ingredients before cooking.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear shrimp for 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by half, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
- Add heavy cream and simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Return shrimp to the pan and toss gently to warm through, about 1 minute. Stir in half the parsley.
- Serve immediately, garnished with remaining parsley, extra Parmesan, and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the shrimp – they should form a “C” shape, not an “O”
- Use fresh (not pre-grated) Parmesan for best flavor and texture
- Reserved pasta water is essential for a silky sauce
- Wild-caught shrimp have better flavor than farm-raised
- Wine substitute: use chicken broth + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Add vegetables like asparagus or cherry tomatoes for variation
- Best served fresh; cream sauces don’t freeze well
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1½ cups)
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 215mg
