This creamy garlic shrimp pasta is weeknight luxury in a skillet. Juicy shrimp are folded into a light garlic-parmesan cream sauce, then tossed with perfectly al dente pasta for a dinner that tastes like a restaurant dish but comes together fast. If creamy pastas are your love language, try our Pasta with Roasted Eggplant and Feta or Chicken Thighs in Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce next.
Ingredients
- 350 g (12 oz) cooked-frozen shrimp, thawed
- 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) light cream, 10% fat
- 200 g (7 oz) pasta
- 5 g (1 tsp) butter
- 70 g (2.5 oz) hard cheese, grated
- 2 garlic cloves
- Oregano, salt, spices, and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp in warm water for 2–5 minutes to thaw them completely, then drain very well — excess water will thin the sauce.
- Slice the garlic cloves into thin plates.
- Melt the butter in a hot skillet and fry the garlic, stirring, for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let it brown, or it will turn bitter.
- Remove the garlic from the skillet — you will not need it further. It has already done its job of infusing the butter.
- Add the drained shrimp to the skillet. Pour in the cream and season with salt, oregano, and black pepper.
- Bring the shrimp and cream to a gentle boil over low heat and simmer the sauce for 3 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
- Stir in the grated cheese and set the skillet aside.
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta in well-salted water until al dente, then drain.
- Toss the pasta with the shrimp sauce, shower with more grated cheese, and serve immediately. For another cozy dinner idea, see Chicken in Savory Mushroom Sauce.
Tips
- Pat the shrimp dry before adding them to the skillet so the sauce stays rich and creamy.
- Use freshly grated cheese rather than pre-shredded — it melts into a much silkier sauce. For technique tips, Serious Eats has excellent pasta guides.
- Have everything prepped before you start: this dish moves fast once the skillet is hot.
Nutrition
Per 100 g: 173 kcal, protein 13 g, fat 5 g, carbs 17 g. Shrimp is a lean protein source — learn more about seafood nutrition at USDA.gov.