Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

There was a Tuesday night when I realized I'd been making shrimp pasta all wrong—rushing through it like a weeknight obligation rather than savoring what could be effortless elegance. A friend mentioned she'd been drizzling her shrimp in butter and garlic before anything else, letting the pan do the thinking, and suddenly it clicked. Now this creamy, garlicky version is my go to when I want to impress without fussing, or when I just want to feel a little fancy on an ordinary evening.

I made this for someone who claimed they didn't really like seafood, and watching them go quiet mid-bite—then immediately reach for more—was one of those small kitchen victories. The cream softens the briny shrimp into something almost buttery, and the pasta soaks up every drop like it was made for this exact moment.

Ingredients

• Fettuccine or linguine: 350 g (12 oz)—wider ribbons catch the sauce better than thin strands, and the 12 ounces is the sweet spot for not overwhelming four plates.
• Large shrimp: 450 g (1 lb), peeled and deveined—size matters here; smaller ones turn rubbery, these ones stay plump and succulent.
• Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons—the foundation of any good sauce, and unsalted gives you control over seasoning.
• Garlic: 5 cloves, minced—more than you think you need, but garlic mellows into silk when it meets cream.
• Heavy cream: 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)—don't thin it with milk; the richness is what makes this work.
• Grated Parmesan: 50 g (1/2 cup)—freshly grated tastes like a different ingredient than pre-shredded.
• Dried Italian herbs: 1/2 teaspoon—or mix your own oregano and basil; dried concentrates the flavor more than fresh would here.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: 1/4 teaspoon, optional—just a whisper if you want it, but it brightens everything.
• Lemon juice: from 1/2 lemon—the acid that wakes up a cream sauce and keeps it from feeling heavy.
• Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons, chopped—a last-minute green that looks like you cared, and tastes like you did.
• Salt and black pepper: to taste—the backbone of seasoning; taste as you go.

Instructions

Start the pasta:

Bring salted water to a rolling boil—the pasta needs room to move and the salt flavors the starch as it cooks. Set a timer for al dente, which is usually a minute or two under package time, so it still has a slight tooth when you bite it.

Season and sear the shrimp:

Pat them dry before the pan; wet shrimp won't brown. A hot skillet with a little oil gets them golden and just-cooked in those quick 1 to 2 minutes per side—any longer and they harden into rubber.

Build the garlic base:

After shrimp come out, lower the heat and melt butter with minced garlic; the slower pace keeps garlic sweet instead of bitter. When it smells like toasted heaven, you're there.

Create the cream sauce:

Pour in cream and let it heat gently—no boiling, just a soft simmer. Stir in Parmesan and herbs, letting them dissolve into something silky and cohesive.

Bring it together:

Return shrimp to the pan with their juices, add lemon juice, and taste before serving. Use that reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if it feels too thick—add it slowly, a splash at a time.

Finish and serve:

Toss warm pasta with the sauce so every strand gets coated, then immediately plate it; pasta cools fast and sauce clings better to hot noodles.

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The best part of this dish isn't the first bite; it's the moment you realize the whole pan has emptied and someone's already asking when you're making it again. There's something about simplicity done right that feels like a small act of care.

Why This Works Every Time

The technique here is almost old-school—butter, garlic, cream, Parmesan—but that's exactly why it never fails. You're not fighting against complicated flavors or techniques; you're just letting each ingredient do its job. Shrimp cooks fast, sauce builds in the same pan, and pasta waits for no one, which means everything lands on the plate at its peak.

Variations and Swaps

This sauce is a canvas if you want it to be. I've added handfuls of fresh spinach wilted into the cream, or cherry tomatoes halved and warmed through. Once I threw in a handful of capers and it was briny and bright. You can also swap the cream for a mix of cream and chicken or seafood stock if you want something lighter that still coats the pasta.

Wine and Pairing Notes

A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the richness and echoes the lemon in the sauce. If you don't have wine on hand, the lemon juice alone does the job, but there's something about sipping wine alongside this meal that makes the whole evening feel a little more intentional.

• Garlic and cream pair beautifully with cooler climate white wines.
• If you go lighter on the cream, don't reach for heavy reds; the shrimp wants a bright companion.
• Serve wine chilled and sip it slowly—rush this meal and you miss half the point.

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This is the kind of dish that reminds you why people love cooking in the first place. It's generous, it's fast, and it tastes like someone was thinking about how to make your evening a little better.

Recipe Help & Support

→ What type of pasta works best?

Fettuccine or linguine hold the cream sauce well, providing a perfect texture contrast to the tender shrimp.

→ How can I prevent shrimp from overcooking?

Cook shrimp quickly over medium-high heat, about 1–2 minutes per side, until just pink and opaque.

→ Can I substitute heavy cream?

Yes, half-and-half can be used for a lighter, less rich sauce without compromising flavor much.

→ What herbs enhance the sauce?

Dried Italian herbs like oregano and basil add aromatic notes that complement garlic and Parmesan beautifully.

→ How to adjust sauce consistency?

Add reserved pasta cooking water a little at a time when mixing pasta with the sauce to reach the desired thickness.