🍤🍝 Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Quick, elegant, and ready in about 25 minutes — perfect for weeknights or guests.
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 12 oz linguine or fettuccine
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chicken broth (or white wine)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Fresh parsley, chopped
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Cook the Pasta
Boil in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
2️⃣ Cook the Shrimp
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
- Remove and set aside (don’t overcook).
3️⃣ Make the Sauce
- In the same pan, melt butter.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds.
- Pour in broth (or wine) and simmer 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in cream and simmer until slightly thickened (3–5 minutes).
- Add Parmesan and stir until melted.
4️⃣ Combine
- Return shrimp to the skillet.
- Add drained pasta and toss to coat.
- Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen sauce.
- Finish with lemon juice and parsley.
🍽️ Serve With
- Garlic bread
- Caesar or mixed green salad
- Steamed asparagus or broccoli
💡 Variations
✔ Add spinach or cherry tomatoes for color.
✔ Swap cream for half-and-half for a lighter version.
✔ Make it Cajun-style with Cajun seasoning instead of red pepper flakes.
✔ Use shrimp with tails on for presentation, off for easier eating.
If you’d like, I can also give you a lighter lemon butter shrimp pasta (no cream) or a spicy Cajun shrimp version.
