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Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

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A quick and easy creamy garlic butter shrimp pasta recipe that delivers rich, comforting flavors perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining guests.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound (450g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or thawed frozen)
  • 8 ounces (225g) fettuccine or linguine pasta
  • 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente (9-11 minutes). Reserve ½ cup (120ml) pasta water, then drain and set aside.
  2. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons (30g) butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté gently for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
  4. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes on one side until pink and opaque halfway through, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
  5. Lower heat to medium-low. Add remaining 2 tablespoons (30g) butter to skillet. Once melted, pour in heavy cream and stir gently, scraping browned bits. Let simmer 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  6. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper to taste.
  7. Return shrimp and drained pasta to skillet. Toss together, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time if sauce needs loosening. Cook for another minute to combine flavors.
  8. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot with extra Parmesan on the side.

Notes

Do not overcook shrimp to avoid rubbery texture; watch for pink color and loose ‘C’ shape. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. For dairy-free, substitute butter with olive oil and heavy cream with coconut milk. Freshly grated Parmesan melts better than pre-grated.

Nutrition

Keywords: shrimp pasta, creamy garlic butter shrimp, easy dinner, weeknight meal, seafood pasta, garlic butter sauce

Find it online: https://emmayum.com/creamy-garlic-butter-shrimp-pasta-recipe-easy-perfect-dinner-idea/