Quick Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
A quick and easy 20-minute meal featuring tender shrimp cooked in a silky garlic butter cream sauce tossed with your favorite pasta. Perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute guests.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) peeled and deveined shrimp, medium or large size
- 8 ounces (225g) pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti)
- 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Handful of chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces (225g) of pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup (120ml) of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, pat 1 pound (450g) of peeled and deveined shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook about 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons (30g) butter to skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Stir gently and simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Add reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick.
- Stir in ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce is smooth.
- Return cooked shrimp to skillet and toss gently to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Add drained pasta to skillet and toss with shrimp and sauce until evenly coated. Add more reserved pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Finish with chopped fresh parsley and toss gently.
- Serve immediately while sauce is creamy and shrimp are tender.
Notes
Use wild-caught shrimp if possible for better flavor and texture. Avoid overcooking shrimp to prevent rubberiness. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese melts better than pre-grated. For dairy-free, substitute butter with olive oil, heavy cream with coconut milk, and Parmesan with nutritional yeast. For gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1.5 cups
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: shrimp pasta, garlic butter shrimp, creamy pasta, quick dinner, easy shrimp recipe, weeknight meal, garlic butter sauce