Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printer Friendly)

Tender shrimp tossed in a silky garlic cream sauce with linguine. Rich, comforting, and quick to prepare.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz linguine

→ Dairy

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Fresh Herbs & Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Sauté minced garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.
05 - Pour in heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 2-3 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
06 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until completely melted and the sauce achieves a smooth, silky consistency.
07 - Add cooked linguine to the skillet, tossing gently to coat all strands. Add reserved pasta water in small increments if a silkier sauce consistency is desired.
08 - Return seared shrimp to the pan and toss until heated through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving plates, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be sitting down to eat in thirty minutes.
  • The garlic cream sauce clings to every strand of pasta and coats the shrimp without feeling heavy.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, so it's perfect when you want something impressive without a grocery run.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of cream or pasta water.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the shrimp dry, I learned this the hard way when my first batch steamed instead of seared and the texture was all wrong.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or over very low heat, because if the sauce is too hot the cheese can seize up into grainy clumps instead of melting smoothly.
  • Use the pasta water generously, that starchy liquid is the secret to a sauce that hugs the noodles instead of sliding off.
03 -
  • Use the largest skillet you have so the shrimp cook in a single layer, crowding them makes them steam and you lose that beautiful golden sear.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the shrimp back in, because once everything is tossed together it's harder to adjust the seasoning without oversalting the shrimp.
  • Serve this immediately, cream sauces wait for no one and the pasta will soak up the sauce and lose its silky texture if it sits too long.
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