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Restaurant-Style Creamy Garlic Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Close-up of delicious Creamy Alfredo Shrimp Pasta with Garlic featuring fettuccine noodles and large pink shrimp, garnished with parsley.
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Make a rich, restaurant-quality shrimp Alfredo pasta featuring a deeply flavored garlic cream sauce. This recipe focuses on achieving a smooth, thick sauce perfect for coating your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

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  • 1 pound fettuccine pasta
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Set the pasta aside.
  2. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  5. Pour in the white wine or broth and let it simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid reduces by half (about 2 minutes).
  6. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Let the sauce warm through but do not let it boil rapidly.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, whisking constantly until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Stir in the nutmeg.
  8. If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  9. Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss everything gently to coat evenly with the sauce.
  10. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • For a thicker sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water to the cream mixture before adding the cheese.
  • If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, use 5 or 6 cloves, or sauté 1 teaspoon of garlic powder with the butter before adding fresh garlic.
  • Fettuccine is the traditional choice, but linguine or penne work well to hold the rich sauce.
  • To prevent the sauce from splitting, always remove the skillet from the heat before adding the Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytribune.com/creamy-alfredo-shrimp-pasta-with-garlic/