Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Printable)

Tender shrimp tossed in silky garlic cream sauce with linguine. Rich, comforting, and elegantly simple.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Pasta

02 - 12 ounces linguine

→ Dairy

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Fresh Herbs & Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
05 - Pour in heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese until completely melted and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
07 - Add cooked linguine to the skillet, tossing thoroughly to coat with the cream sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
08 - Return cooked shrimp to the pan and toss gently until heated through, approximately 1 minute.
09 - Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day cooking, but you'll be plating in half an hour.
  • The creamy garlic sauce clings to every strand of pasta, and the shrimp stay tender and sweet.
  • You can easily double it for a dinner party without breaking a sweat.
02 -
  • Don't walk away from the garlic while it's cooking, it goes from fragrant to burnt in seconds and there's no saving it.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Pull the shrimp out of the pan as soon as they turn pink, they'll finish cooking when you toss them back in at the end.
03 -
  • Use a skillet that's big enough to spread the shrimp out in one layer, crowding them makes them steam instead of sear.
  • Grate the Parmesan right before you need it, the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
  • Taste the sauce before you add more salt, between the Parmesan and the pasta water it might already be perfectly seasoned.
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