Shrimp Alfredo Pasta is so creamy and rich, your whole family will love it. Made with garlic, cheese, and cream, this delicious shrimp pasta dish is always a favorite.
For some more great pasta recipes, try our Cajun shrimp pasta and Tuscan chicken pasta, too.
What goes into shrimp alfredo
Shrimp alfredo is made with a rich, cream sauce that is made with butter, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. The ingredients are simmered together to make a thick sauce that is combined with the cooked shrimp and fettucine pasta. This sauce is full of flavor and has a smooth, delicious texture. Another favorite you can make with this sauce is chicken alfredo lasagna.
How to make it lighter
If you want to make this shrimp alfredo pasta a little bit lighter, then substitute Half & Half for the heavy cream. This gives your alfredo sauce the same thick and creamy texture, but with less fat and calories.
Does it matter what type of pasta I use?
Nope. You can use whatever pasta you have on hand. Fettucine is great because the flat, wide noodles collect a lot of the delicious garlic cream sauce, but any pasta will work great in this shrimp alfredo recipe.
How to make Shrimp Alfredo
- Season the shrimp. Sprinkle the raw shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Cook the shrimp. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp on both sides for 7-8 minutes total, until they become pink and opaque. Take them out of the pan and set them aside in a bowl.
- Add the butter and garlic. Place the butter and garlic into the same pan and cook over medium heat for about a minute.
- Simmer the heavy cream. Pour the heavy cream into the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Then, allow the cream to reach a simmer before taking the pan off the heat and adding the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the pasta and shrimp. Once the cheese has been thoroughly incorporated, add the shrimp and pasta. You can add more salt, if needed. For a little extra flavor, garnish the shrimp alfredo pasta with some chopped fresh parsley and serve.
What to serve it with
This Shrimp Alfredo Pasta goes great with so many dishes. You can serve it with some garlic cheese bread or an Antipasto Salad. You could also serve it alongside some Parmesan Roasted Potatoes or Chicken Pesto Pizza. After the pasta, bring out Tiramisu Cake or Opera Cake to really finish the meal in style.
How long will it keep in the fridge?
Homemade shrimp alfredo pasta will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. When you want to reheat it, you can use either the microwave or the stovetop, but try not to overheat the shrimp because it will cause them to become rubbery. You can also add a little cream to help bring the sauce together as it heats.
Can I freeze it?
Unfortunately, alfredo sauce does not freeze well. Cream-based sauces tend to separate and become grainy as you reheat them. So, for this shrimp alfredo pasta, only make as much as you want to eat over the course of a few days.
More pasta recipes to try!
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Shrimp peeled and deveined with tail on
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 lb fettuccini pasta
Instructions
Cook the shrimp
- Season the raw shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside for later.
Make the sauce
- In the same pan add the unsalted butter and minced garlic. Let the garlic cook over medium heat for about 1 minute.
- Then pour in the heavy cream and bring the heat to medium-high. Let the heavy cream come to a simmer then remove it from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese.
- Stir the Parmesan cheese thoroughly then add the cooked pasta and shrimp. Season with more salt as needed. Then garnish with chopped parsley for extra flavor. 
Notes
Nutrition
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Kaye says
Too much cream and too little garlic. I was looking for a recipe that did not include cream cheese. This one does not, but it is too soupy and rather bland. I will adjust next time.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kaye, the fat % of your cream can determine the thickness of the sauce. Also, you are welcome to add more garlic 🙂