🦐 Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Servings: 4 | Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
8 oz (225 g) pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine)
1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
1. Cook pasta – Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
2. Cook shrimp – Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Season shrimp with salt & pepper, then cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink. Remove and set aside.
3. Make sauce – In the same skillet, add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Combine – Add pasta and shrimp to the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for creaminess.
5. Finish & serve – Garnish with parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.
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✨ Variations:
Add spinach or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
Use a splash of white wine in the sauce before adding cream.
Swap cream for a tomato-based sauce if you prefer lighter pasta.
