Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe

A quick and easy delicious Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo recipe with tender shrimp cooked in butter and tossed with fettuccine noodles in a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce.

Course main meal pasta

Cuisine Italian

Keyword how to make shrimp alfredo, recipe for shrimp alfredo, shrimp alfredo pasta recipe, shrimp alfredo recipe, shrimp fettucine alfredo

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 951kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

1 lb. shrimp 16-20 count peeled deveined, and tails removed
12 ounces fettuccine
8 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 ¼ cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine al dente according to the package instructions and drain well.
Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Pat the shrimp dry. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes each side.
Reduce the heat on the cream mixture to very low. Stir the shredded Parmesan into the cream mixture until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and fettuccine to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat and warm. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

Cook the pasta slightly al dente. All dente is where the pasta is a little chewy and a little firm. This is the best way to cook pasta that will be warmed again.
Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. If the Alfredo sauce becomes too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of reserved pasta water and stir to blend.
When shrimp are done, they turn light pink on the outside and are no longer translucent but more white on the inside. Another way to identify when shrimp are cooked through is they curl into a ‘C” shape, but you don’t want that “C” too tight.
I like using the larger shrimp, but you could use medium size shrimp as well. However, they will cook faster, so ensure you are on top of things. If shrimp are overcooked, they will become dry and rubbery.
Minced garlic takes about 1 minute to cook. It should be cooked over medium-low heat and stirred constantly to ensure it does not burn and turn bitter.
Gently simmer the cream/butter mixture to ensure that it thickens.
For optimum flavor, use fresh Parmesan Cheese and reduce the heat to low before stirring it in for a perfect, even melt.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on low on the stovetop stirring frequently or in the microwave at reduced power.
Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

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