Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo/Easy Shrimp Pasta Recipe
Creamy pasta, garlic, butter, and perfectly pan-seared shrimp, this Fettuccine Alfredo is comfort food at its best. It is quick enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough for a holiday or date night dinner.
Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo is a simple but impressive dish that comes together in about 30 minutes. The homemade Alfredo sauce is rich and smooth, made with butter, garlic, cream, and parmesan cheese, then tossed with tender fettuccine pasta.
Juicy jumbo shrimp are pan-seared until golden and flavorful, giving this classic pasta a restaurant-quality taste without being complicated. It’s a winner!
Ingredient Tips
Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan, the pre-shredded doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make the sauce grainy. Pre-shredded cheese usually contains additives to prevent it from clumping in the packaging.
Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is essential for a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce. Using milk or lighter cream will result in a thinner sauce that doesn’t coat the pasta as well.
Shrimp: Jumbo or large shrimp work best. You can leave the shells on for extra flavour. (remove before eating).
Can you use pre-cooked shrimp? This recipe is designed for raw jumbo shrimp which are pan-seared. For a convenient option you can use pre-cooked shrimp. Skip the searing step, pat dry, then toss them into the sauce while it is hot.
What to serve with this pasta dish
Serve with a simple green salad tossed with a light Fresh Herb Italian Dressing and a warm slice of garlic toast.
Easy Pasta Recipes
If you enjoy easy pasta dinners, you may want to try these recipes.
Tips for Perfect Pan-Seared shrimp
- Pat the shrimp dry for better browning.
- Don’t over-crowd the pan, cook the shrimp in batches to avoid steaming.
- Use medium-high heat for to achieve that golden-brown sear.
- Shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque.
- Do not overcook the shrimp as it can become rubbery quickly. About 2-3 minutes per side.
Tips for making the best creamy fettuccine alfredo
- Keep the heat at medium or lower and stir often to prevent scorching.
- Do not let the sauce boil.
- Add a splash of pasta water if the sauce thickens too much.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper to your preference. Parmesan is salty, so you may need less salt.
- Serve immediately, Alfredo sauce is best served fresh as tends to loose its creamy texture if left to sit.
Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
Alfredo Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 box fettuccine 12 oz size
Pan-seared Shrimp
- 12 – 16 jumbo shrimp raw
- 1 tbsp olive oil for pan frying shrimp
- 1-2 tbsp butter for pan frying shrimp
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese shavings for garnish
Instructions
How to prepare the Alfredo sauce
- In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute. (do not let garlic get brown)
- Add the cream and bring to a slow simmer, stir often. DO not let boil!
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened, stirring often.
- Season with fresh ground pepper.
- While sauce is simmering prepare pasta and shrimp.
- Cook the pasta in large pot of salted water until tender but still firm (al dente).
How to prepare pan-seared shrimp
- I cooked my shrimp and served with shells on (remove before eating). If you prefer remove the shell prior to frying.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet, medium high heat.
- Add the garlic cloves.
- Next add the shrimp and fry the shrimp until it turns pink and opaque and has a golden-brown sear. This takes about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Cook the shrimp in batches to avoid overcrowding the frying pan. Keep cooked shrimp in warmed oven while preparing all the shrimp. Add more olive oil and butter as needed.
Putting it all together
- In a large bowl toss the pasta and Alfredo sauce until all the pasta is coated with sauce.
- Portion the pasta on plates and top with the seared shrimp. Garnish with parmesan shaving and fresh ground pepper.
