This easy and quick Shrimp Alfredo is a fancy recipe you can make right at home! It has simple and easy-to-find ingredients like shrimp, cream, garlic, and cheese. Plus, it’s ready in under 30 minutes!
Easy Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo
Shrimp Alfredo is one of our favorite dishes to order from a restaurant. There’s really nothing not to love about this classic, rich, and creamy meal. It has pasta, shrimp, tons of garlic, and cheese. But, I think we can all agree that sneaking out to eat is getting harder and harder these days!
So, we crafted this 30-minute meal that has incredible results. We think it might even be better than what you would order at a restaurant!
What we love about classic Shrimp Alfredo is that the ingredients are simple, easy to find, and wholesome. There is no need to run to a specialty market to find anything. And it’s pretty amazing the flavor that comes out of a dish that has only 8 ingredients!
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Pasta Recipe
This classic meal makes its way into our meal-planning calendar quite often. And here is why we love it so much:
- The ingredients are easy to find. And most of them are probably already in your kitchen!
- It takes under 30 minutes to make. You don’t need to spend much time in the kitchen when making this recipe. It comes together really quickly.
- Clean-up is easy. You really just need a pot to cook the pasta in and a skillet. So it’s a fancy meal that doesn’t require a lot of dirty pots and pans.
What You’ll Need
The list of what you need for Shrimp Alfredo is below. Remember, the exact amounts for each ingredient are listed below in the recipe card.
- Fettuccini Noodles: This is the traditional noodle for Shrimp Alfredo. But you could use other noodles, too, if that’s all that you have.
- Butter: We like to use unsalted butter for this recipe and then adjust the salt level ourselves.
- Shrimp: You can use whatever size shrimp you like for this recipe.
- Salt and Pepper: You could also add a bit of Cajun Seasoning for some more spice.
- Garlic: We highly recommend using fresh garlic for this recipe. It’s the best way to get that authentic alfredo flavor.
- Heavy Cream: You could also use half & half or whole milk, but the sauce won’t be as thick or creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese: We like to grate parmesan cheese fresh but you could also use bags of shredded cheese, too.
- Fresh Parsley: This is an optional garnish that adds a bit of flavor and color to the dish.
Fresh vs Frozen Shrimp
You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. We honestly think that there is no benefit to using one over the other.
Our main suggestion is that you thaw the frozen shrimp before using it. If you don’t thaw the shrimp, the sauce will become too thin and watery.
How to Make Shrimp Alfredo
Here are the quick and simple steps for making this delicious pasta dish:
First, cook the pasta until it’s al dente. Make sure that you salt your water for the best flavor.
While the noodles are cooking, saute the shrimp. Melt some butter in a saute pan and then add shrimp that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. When the shrimp are done, remove them from the pan.
In the same skillet, add more butter to start making the sauce. Then add the garlic.
Next, add the heavy cream. And then bring the mixture to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the cheese. Whisk the cheese into the cream until it’s melted.
Add the noodles to the pan. Gently toss the noodles to coat them with the sauce.
Finally, top the pasta with the shrimp. And don’t forget to add the parsley garnish!
Tips for Success
Keep these things in mind when making Shrimp Alfredo at home and you’ll be successful every time!
- Have all of your ingredients ready to go. This recipe moves very quickly. Have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go so that you can move smoothly through the recipe?
- Prep the shrimp properly. To save time, buy the shrimp cleaned already. If your shrimp are frozen, let them sit in warm water for a few minutes, or place the shrimp in a colander and run a little water over them until they separate and defrost.
- How to thicken the sauce: If the sauce thickens a little too much, you can add 1 tablespoon at a time of cream (or pasta water) to thin it out again.
- Make the most of your time in the kitchen. To make this recipe quickly, cook your shrimp and alfredo sauce while the pasta boils.
- Add some spice. If you want your shrimp to have a spicy kick, season them with our favorite homemade cajun seasoning instead of salt and pepper. If you want your shrimp to have a spicy kick, season them with our favorite Homemade Cajun Seasoning instead of salt and pepper.
What To Serve with Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Here are some of our favorite things to serve with Shrimp Alfredo.
- Homemade Rolls: Try our Cheesy Herb Crescent Rolls as a special treat to add to Shrimp Alfredo.
- Salads: You can make a simple greens salad with Balsamic Dressing or use try our Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad for a special occasion.
- Vegetables: We like to serve this with some simple steamed green vegetables as a healthy side dish. Broccoli or green beans are a great choice.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
This dish is best served fresh. Reheated alfredo sauce tends to separate and become oily. However, you can store leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Try heating leftovers in 30-second periods and then stirring between each interval.
Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 oz fettuccini noodles
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper, to taste (or 1 1/2 teaspoons cajun seasoning)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook fettuccini noodles in well salted water, according to the package directions, till al dente.
- While the fettuccini is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper (or cajun seasoning) and add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook on both sides, just until opaque, about 3 minutes total. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. (I like to cover mine with foil to keep them warm.)
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, whisking often.
- Add the parmesan cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Toss the cooked and drained fettuccini noodles into the alfredo sauce and then add the shrimp right on top. Garnish with parsley, if desired and serve immediately!
