Easy Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe for Weeknight Dinners

This garlic shrimp pasta tosses cooked shrimp and pasta in a creamy Parmesan sauce.

Ingredients

Measure the ingredients below before you begin. Optional additions are marked in the list.

• 12 oz (340g) of pasta, like linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine
• 1/2 tsp salt (for the water to boil)
• 1 pound (450 grams) of big shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of butter without salt
• Four cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 cup (240 ml) of heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (50g) of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
• More Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

How to make it

1. Make the pasta: Put a lot of salt in a big pot of water and bring it to a boil. Follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta until it is al dente. Set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

2. How to Cook Shrimp: Put the shrimp in a medium bowl and season them with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Put a lot of olive oil in a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they turn pink and opaque. Take it out and put it aside.

3. Prepare the Garlic Cream Sauce: In the same pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it smells good. Add the heavy cream and bring to a low boil. If you’re using red pepper flakes, add them along with the Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens a little. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Mix the sauce and pasta together: Add the pasta that has already been cooked to the skillet and toss it to coat it in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of the pasta water you saved. Put the cooked shrimp back in the skillet and gently toss them to mix.

5. To serve: Put the pasta on plates, top with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese, and serve right away.

Tips and serving

Cook shrimp until pearly and opaque; reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

For more ideas, try Easy Creamy Garlic Salmon Pasta Perfect for Weeknight Dinners or Healthy Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce Recipe for Pasta Night.