For the nights you want an amazing, yet easy alfredo pasta recipe, this shrimp alfredo pasta recipe is for you! Using fresh and minimal ingredients to make the alfredo from scratch, plus garlicky shrimp, and perfectly cooked fettuccine, your family will be lining up for seconds and thirds!
While working on my family meal plan, I like to sometimes switch things up and assign certain days of the week to a category. We love to have Taco Corn Casserole on Taco Tuesdays, Split Pea Soup on Soup and Salad Wednesdays, and we recently made this yummy shrimp and mushroom flatbread pizza for our design your own pizza Friday. We decided to make tonight Italian night at our home with this amazingly easy shrimp alfredo pasta dish.
What is shrimp alfredo pasta?
Let’s start by addressing what alfredo is. Alfredo is a cream based pasta sauce that is traditionally served with pasta or rice. It is made with butter and Parmesan, but here in America, we love our heavy cream -so we add it for extra richness. These days, you can find alfredo pasta on almost any menu when eating out, and you can buy alfredo from a jar at the local market. For the best taste, like everything else, a homemade alfredo pasta sauce will give you the best flavor ever.
Where is shrimp alfredo from?
Alfredo was originated in Rome by its namesake Alfredo de Lelio in the early 1920’s. Needless to say, alfredo pasta is a relatively new dish that has taken the world by storm. Along the line, home cooks and chefs alike started adding different proteins to alfredo, such as chicken and shrimp to create the best shrimp alfredo ever!
How To Season Shrimp For Alfredo
When making shrimp alfredo pasta, the shrimp is the star of the dish in my opinion. Some people like to use small shrimp that is almost hidden in their pasta, but I decided to use jumbo shrimp, in its shell for the ultimate flavor. Cooking shrimp with its shell still on helps trap the flavors and keeps the shrimp from drying out.
Of course, you can choose to use tail off and peeled shrimp, if desired.
The sauce that is created to make this garlic shrimp alfredo is what is going to season the shrimp for alfredo. We’re cooking the shrimp in a butter and olive oil base, adding in freshly minced garlic, fresh chopped parsley, and simple salt and pepper. Simplicity is overlooked, but for this shrimp pasta alfredo recipe, it is key!
If desired, you can add in homemade Italian seasoning, or switch things up with Cajun seasoning for a kick!
How To Make Shrimp Alfredo
Just like the classic homemade alfredo pasta recipe, we follow the same steps, we just make the garlicky shrimp separate and toss it in when we add the al dente fettuccine.
Shrimp Alfredo Ingredients
If you’re wondering what the ingredients for shrimp alfredo are, it’s simple! The ingredients needed for shrimp alfredo pasta are shrimp, garlic, butter, oil, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, pasta, parsley, and salt and pepper!
Can I use jarred alfredo sauce?
Sometimes, we just are short on time or ingredients, it happens. If you’re finding yourself in this situation and want a shortcut, go for it! The garlicky shrimp will elevate jarred alfredo sauce. Just remember to add the ingredients to your next shopping trip for next week’s meal planning.
How long can I store shrimp alfredo in the refrigerator?
If you’re storing the garlicky shrimp with the alfredo pasta in the refrigerator together, I would not suggest more than two days. And this is with the shrimp alfredo stored in a container with a tight fitting lid.
If you’re only storing the alfredo pasta in a container with a tight fitting lid, I would suggest up to 4 days.
Is Shrimp Alfredo Healthy?
Shrimp alfredo without the pasta is actually a keto and low carb diet approved dish! For a healthier shrimp alfredo pasta recipe, swap out the fettuccine for whole grain pasta or zucchini noodles for the ultimate healthy shrimp alfredo pasta recipe.
What goes with shrimp alfredo?
Want an Olive Garden experience at home? If so, shrimp alfredo pasta goes well with these sides:
- A healthy paleo zuppa toscana soup is the best place to start!
- Italian Green Beans is the perfect vegetable to serve on the side.
- Cheddar Bay Biscuits may be more of a Red Lobster item, but we’re adding it to the list.
- For a sweet treat, enjoy these fun ricotta cookies!
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 8 ounces fettucini (cooked to al dente)
For the shrimp:
- 10-12 jumbo shrimp (I used shell and tail on for photo purposes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
For the alfredo sauce:
- 16 ounces heavy cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 6-8 ounces Parmesan cheese block (about 1 1/2-2 cups)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic optional
Instructions
Make the shrimp:
- Melt butter and heat oil over medium high heat in a pan.
- Add in remaining ingredients and cook shrimp until pink on all sides, about 6-8 minutes.
- Set aside.
Make the alfredo:
- While the shrimp is cooking, start the alfredo sauce. IIn a heavy bottomed skillet, heat the cream and butter over medium low heat until the butter is melted.
- Use a grater to finely grate the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the freshly shredded Parmesan cheese to the sauce a few tablespoons at a time, stirring between each addition so that the cheese melts evenly. Be sure not to add the cheese too quickly. Take your time and add it slowly, stirring constantly!
- After all the cheese is added, stir in the pepper and garlic, stirring over low heat for 1 minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- In a large pan mix together the cooked fettuccine, alfredo sauce and top with shrimp mixture.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being 1/4 of the recipe. In order to lower the calories, use less alfredo sauce or use whole milk instead of heavy cream. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Kate Berkey says
May 5, 2019 at 12:21 amI was looking for a pasta recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!
Julie Clark says
May 6, 2019 at 8:32 amThank you so much!