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Quick Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Start pasta boiling while you cook shrimp with lots of garlic in butter till pink. Make quick cream sauce in same pan, adding cheese and pasta water to get it smooth. Toss hot pasta right in with shrimp and sauce, stir till everything's coated nice. Finish with fresh herbs on top. Takes just 15 minutes total.

Featured in Family Dinner Ideas.

Fatiha
Updated on Sun, 05 Jan 2025 01:25:23 GMT
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A close-up of creamy pasta with shrimp, garnished with parsley and black pepper. Pin it
A close-up of creamy pasta with shrimp, garnished with parsley and black pepper. | zestplate.com

Make this tasty Garlic Shrimp Pasta when you want something quick but fancy. Mix creamy sauce with lots of garlic and juicy shrimp over hot pasta. Takes just 15 minutes to make, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. Perfect for a nice dinner at home or when friends come over.

Why Make This Pasta

Picture tender shrimp cooked in garlic butter, then tossed with creamy sauce and pasta - it's so good! This recipe came from throwing together some leftover cream with garlic pasta and shrimp, and it turned out amazing. It's lighter than restaurant pasta but still has all the flavor. Make it for a family dinner or a date night at home.

What You Need

  • Linguine: Or any pasta you like
  • Olive Oil: For cooking shrimp
  • Butter: Makes everything better
  • Shrimp: Peeled and cleaned
  • Salt and Pepper: To taste
  • Old Bay: Optional but good
  • Garlic: Fresh is best
  • Heavy Cream: Makes sauce rich
  • Parmesan: Fresh grated
  • Parsley: For looks and fresh taste

How to Make It

Start the Pasta:
Fill a pot with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Toss in your pasta and cook until just tender. Save a cup of pasta water before draining.
Cook Your Shrimp:
Put butter and oil in a big pan over medium heat. When butter melts, add shrimp and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Old Bay if using. Cook until they turn pink.
Make the Sauce:
Take shrimp out and add more butter to the same pan. Throw in garlic and let it cook for half a minute. Pour in cream and stir up all the good bits from the bottom.
Add the Cheese:
Stir in parmesan and let it melt. If sauce gets too thick, add some of that pasta water you saved. Taste it and add more salt if needed.
Put It All Together:
Toss your pasta in the sauce, then add the shrimp back in. Give everything a good stir to warm it up.
Finish It Up:
Sprinkle fresh parsley on top and serve it while it's hot.

Makes a Special Meal

This isn't just quick pasta - it's something special. Mix simple ingredients and they turn into something that looks fancy but wasn't hard to make. The creamy sauce and garlicky shrimp make everyone ask for seconds, and it won't leave you feeling too full like restaurant pasta does.

Pick Good Shrimp

Get raw frozen shrimp that's already peeled to save time. Fresh shrimp works too if you want to clean them yourself. Size doesn't matter much - just don't overcook them or they get tough. Even cooked shrimp works in a pinch, just add them at the end so they don't get rubbery.

Make Sauce Better

Heavy cream makes the best sauce - it gets nice and thick when you cook it down. Save some pasta water before draining - it helps make sauce smooth and stick to the pasta better. The cheese thickens things up too. Want it lighter? Use half and half, but it won't be as rich.

Cook Pasta Right

Don't overcook your pasta - you want it with a little bite. The hot sauce will cook it more. That pasta water you saved is like gold - it makes sauce creamy and helps it coat every bite. Give the pasta a good stir in the sauce so it soaks up all the flavor.

A close-up of a skillet filled with creamy fettuccine pasta topped with shrimp and garnished with parsley and a pat of butter. Pin it
A close-up of a skillet filled with creamy fettuccine pasta topped with shrimp and garnished with parsley and a pat of butter. | zestplate.com

What to Serve With It

Add a green salad on the side to make it a meal. Some crusty bread is good too - use it to wipe up extra sauce. Roasted vegetables work great if you want something more filling. Everything tastes better with this creamy garlic sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Got cooked shrimp?

Just warm em up last. Don't cook long though. Watch they don't get tough. Add right at end. Still tastes good.

→ What pasta's best?

Long thin kinds work. Flat ones hold sauce. Round ones good too. Fresh cooks faster. Just cook it right.

→ Want less rich?

Use less cream. Save pasta water. Mix them both in. Sauce gets silky. Still stays good.

→ Adding more stuff?

Green things work great. Tomatoes pop nice. Cut em small though. Cook quick with shrimp. Don't add wet stuff.

→ Saving some food?

Box it up tight. Good three days cold. Heat real slow. Add splash milk. Stir while warm.

→ Getting too dry?

Keep pasta water. Add bit by bit. Less heat helps too. Sauce thins nice. Easy fix quick.

→ Taking it places?

Pack sauce separate. Cook pasta there. Take extra cream. Heat up slow. Mix just before eat.

→ Need it faster?

Buy peeled shrimp. Have stuff ready. Boil pasta first. Chop quick, cook fast. Still tastes fresh.

→ Making big batch?

Double works fine. Need bigger pan. More sauce maybe. Watch cooking time. Don't crowd shrimp.

→ Want more kick?

Add red pepper. More black pepper. Fresh garlic loads. Even wine helps. Lemon wakes it up.

→ Shrimp not pink?

Cook bit longer. Keep heat medium. Don't crowd pan. Cut to check one. They curl when done.

→ Pasta too soft?

Cook less time. Save some water. Finish in sauce. Test it lots. Al dente's best.

Conclusion

Like this? Try butter shrimp next. Or make hot tomato shrimp. Both quick and good.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Quick shrimp pasta fix.

Prep Time
~
Cook Time
15 Minutes
Total Time
15 Minutes
By: Fatiha

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: 4 Servings

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

01 8 ounces (225 grams) linguine pasta.
02 1 tablespoon olive oil.
03 1 ½ tablespoons butter, divided.
04 1 pound (450 grams) raw shrimp, frozen, peeled, and deveined.
05 ½ teaspoon salt.
06 ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
07 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (optional) or smoked paprika or cajun.
08 1 clove garlic, minced.
09 ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK).
10 ½ cup (40 grams) parmesan, grated.
11 ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped.

Instructions

Step 01

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring water to a boil and generously salt it. Add your linguine pasta, cooking according to the package instructions until it reaches al dente perfection. Once done, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.

Step 02

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the olive oil. Introduce the shrimp, cooking briefly for a minute, then season with salt, pepper, and if desired, Old Bay seasoning or paprika.

Step 03

Continue to cook the shrimp, watching for it to turn a lovely pink. If needed, cook in batches to avoid overcooking. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.

Step 04

In the same skillet, melt the rest of the butter and stir in the garlic, cooking it for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the heavy cream next, using your spatula to deglaze the flavorful pan.

Step 05

Sprinkle in the grated parmesan, letting it melt smoothly, then loosen the sauce by introducing some of the reserved pasta water. Allow the mixture to simmer for a minute, tasting to adjust salt and pepper to your preference.

Step 06

Gently toss the pasta in the sauce until each strand is luxuriously coated. Reintroduce the shrimp, softly reheating it within the pasta. Finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

  1. If cooking shrimp from frozen, expect some liquid release; simply simmer it down without overcooking the shrimp.
  2. Thawing shrimp prior to cooking is preferable for the best results.
  3. Always reserve about a cup of your pasta cooking water; it's starchy and perfect for adjusting the sauce consistency.
  4. This recipe serves 4 as a regular meal or 3 generously.
  5. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  6. For reheating, gently warm the pasta in a skillet with a little added water or use the microwave, taking care not to freeze the creamy pasta.

Tools You'll Need

  • Saucepan.
  • Skillet.
  • Spatula.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Shellfish.
  • Dairy.
  • Gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 334
  • Total Fat: 22 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 4 g
  • Protein: 29 g