Description
Mediterranean-inspired creamy garlic shrimp pasta brings coastal Italian flavors to your dinner table. Silky noodles combine with succulent shrimp and rich garlic sauce for a restaurant-quality meal you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 oz (340 g) pasta (linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine)
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt (for boiling water)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Cook pasta until al dente, reserving a small amount of starchy cooking water before draining.
- Shrimp Seasoning and Searing: Thoroughly coat shrimp with spice blend and season. Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over high heat. Quickly sear shrimp until they turn pink and translucent, roughly two minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Sauce Creation: In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and allow to simmer gently. Blend in grated parmesan and red pepper flakes, stirring until sauce reaches a smooth, luxurious consistency.
- Combining Elements: Fold cooked pasta into the creamy sauce, ensuring thorough coating. If sauce appears too thick, incorporate reserved pasta water to achieve ideal texture. Gently reintroduce seared shrimp to the pasta mixture, allowing flavors to meld.
- Serving: Transfer the creamy garlic shrimp pasta to serving dishes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and additional parmesan shavings. Serve immediately while piping hot and at peak flavor.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Choose al dente pasta by testing texture 1 minute before package instructions, ensuring a slight resistance when biting.
- Shrimp Selection: Pick fresh, deveined shrimp with firm, translucent appearance; avoid overcooking to prevent rubbery texture by watching color change carefully.
- Sauce Consistency Control: Reserve pasta water as secret weapon for adjusting sauce thickness; starchy liquid helps bind ingredients and creates silky, smooth texture.
- Flavor Boosting Technique: Toast garlic briefly to enhance aromatic profile without burning, releasing nutty undertones that elevate overall dish complexity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 200mg