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 this Cajun shrimp pasta and Tuscan chicken pasta, too.
Table Of Contents
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe Details
I love this Shrimp Alfredo Pasta because it is so tasty and satisfying. Everyone loves a good alfredo and this recipe brings together the best flavors and textures.
- TASTE: The alfredo sauce is rich and buttery, full of garlic and salty Parmesan cheese.
- TEXTURE: Thick creamy sauce, tender shrimp, and al dente pasta make every bite of this dish addictively good.
- TIME: This is an easy recipe to whip up, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. This makes the perfect go-to meal on busy weeknights.
- EASE: This Shrimp Alfredo Pasta takes only 20 minutes to make!
What You’ll Need
- Shrimp– peeled, deveined, and tail on
- For the alfredo sauce- Butter, Olive oil, Heavy cream, Garlic clove, Parmesan cheese, Salt, and Black pepper
- Fettuccini pasta
How to Make Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- 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.
Pro Tip: Make sure the shrimp are cooked in a single layer so they cook evenly on both sides.
- 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.
Recipe Tips
- Thoroughly cook the shrimp- You don’t want to overcook the shrimp and make them rubbery, but you should cook them until they are pink and opaque. Then they’re done.
- Grate your own Parmesan- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese had a better flavor and the pre-grated kind also doesn’t melt into the sauce as well as fresh.
- Cook the pasta al dente- Even if you like your pasta a little more done, it’s best to cook it just enough since it will continue cooking a bit while in the warm Alfredo sauce.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add some vegetables- Try this recipe with onion, bell peppers, or broccoli added in for extra flavor and texture.
- Make it dairy-free- For those with dairy allergies, you can make this recipe substituting plant-based butter, coconut milk, and vegan Parmesan cheese for the cream, butter, and cheese.
- Add some spice- Sprinkle some red pepper flakes into the alfredo sauce for a creamy sauce with a touch of heat.
- Try some white wine- Dry (not sweet) white wine can be added to the sauce for added flavor. Just cook out the alcohol so only the taste remains.
FAQs
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.
Fettucine is great because the flat, wide noodles collect a lot of the delicious garlic cream sauce, but any pasta will work in this shrimp alfredo recipe. Use whatever pasta you have on hand.
Serving Suggestions
This Shrimp Alfredo Pasta goes great with so many dishes. Here are a few delicious things to serve with it:
- Salad: Start your dinner with a salad, like this Antipasto Salad or Spinach Salad.
- Sides: Enjoy this Shrimp Alfredo Pasta with some Parmesan Roasted Potatoes or Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli.
- Bread: You can serve it with some Garlic Cheese Bread or Copycat Pizza Hut Breadsticks.
- Desserts: After the pasta, bring out Tiramisu Cake or Opera Cake to really finish the meal in style.
Make This Shrimp Alfredo Pasta in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare this dish ahead of time and store it in the fridge. When you want to reheat it, you can use either the microwave or the stovetop, adding a little cream to help bring the sauce together as it heats.
Storing: Store the Shrimp Alfredo Pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freeze: 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 Tasty Pasta Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
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
- How to make it lighter
- How to make ahead of time
- Add-ins and substitutesÂ
Nutrition
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Kathy says
I made this and it was exquisite! Flavors were balanced just right. Rich, creamy, completely comfort recipe. As with other reviewers, I added double the parm cheese. We like spicy so next time, I’ll definitely try a few red pepper flakes. Thanks for this excellent recipe.
Dina says
You are very welcome Kathy! 🙂 Awesome to hear that you enjoyed the flavors in my shrimp alfredo pasta recipe! Adding a little extra spice from the pepper flakes sound delicious. Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
Mark A says
I used a small amount of crushed red pepper while cooking the shrimp. I also added crab, thinking about using shallots next time instead of garlic. Great recipe.
Dina says
Thank you for the feedback Mark! I am glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Shauna Gliddon says
A wonderfully simple recipe, but you definitely need more than 1 cup of Parmesan
Dina says
Thank you for the feedback Shauna. You are welcome to adjust the recipe to your liking 🙂
Matthew Ceglie says
Hi Dina:
This was awesome sauce! Pun intended. I used squid ink pasta, al dente…that’s what I had in the pantry. Since it was only 8oz of pasta I cut down to 10 oz of cream and 6 oz of milk to make it lighter. Used some fresh basil, no parsley on hand, 1/2 cup of extra Parmesan, and added a little nutmeg. I like the red pepper flakes to add some heat. (For myself, my girls don’t like it.)
Thank you! It was so fast, easy!
Dina says
Matthew, thank you for taking the time to write your recipes feedback! Your version sounds delicious!
Yelena Cantwell says
Can I substitute chicken and how much should I use?
Thanks
Dina says
Hi Yelena 🙂 Yes, chicken will work as a substitute for this pasta dish. You can use an equal weight as the shrimp or adjust per your preference. I hope that helps! Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Anthony Williams says
How to make ahead of time
Dina says
Hi Anthony 🙂 You can cook the shrimp and make the sauce ahead of time. Once the sauce is done, then place the shrimp in the sauce. Once cooled you can leave the sauce in the fridge. Before serving you would cook your pasta and add the warmed sauce together. I hope that helps clarify. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Lynne says
Why leave tails on shrimps xx
Dina says
Hi Lynne, I leave the tails on for the pictures. You can remove them. I hope you love this shrimp alfredo pasta! If you give it a try let me know how it goes! 🙂
leona So says
All of your dishes are great, not one I do not like so keep them coming I do appreciate you tremendously, although I am a very good old cook but you are so refreshing and sweet I believe your future has been set for a very long time.Thank you for all the great dishes you have been cooking . Leona So Mechelen Belgium.
Dina says
You are very welcome, Leona! 🙂 You are too kind! It truly makes me so happy when people appreciate and love my recipes! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback and support! 🙂
Claire says
The sauce was far too runny for my liking and it tasted too much like cream and too little like Parmesan.
Dina says
Hi Claire, you can definitely add more parmesan if you want it to have more parmesan flavor. This will thicken the sauce too.
Candy says
My husband is and Alfredo guy and he loved this recipe. Mine didn’t come out runny at all — the cheese thickened it up.
Thank you for another great recipe
Dina says
You are very welcome Candy!! Very happy that you and your husband loved this shrimp alfredo pasta 🙂 Yes, it shouldn’t be too runny due to the cheese. Letting it sit in the pasta will help it a little as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback and thank you so much for your loyal support on my blog! 🙂
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 🙂