Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta with my easy homemade Alfredo sauce! Combined with shrimp and served over pasta, this dinner idea is filling, made in just one pot, and ready in under 30 minutes. 

I’m a big fan of Alfredo dishes. Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken was my long-time go-to order at any Italian restaurant. Alfredo sauce is so delicious, I think most of us forget just how dang easy it is to make. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s also creamy and cheesy, which are some of my absolute fave food qualities. And it’s amazing with shrimp!

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Alfredo Recipe

• So Much Flavor: I love love love Alfredo sauce – especially my homemade version! Alfredo is usually pretty simple, but the addition of a single ingredient (wine!) and some spices make all the difference.
• A New Twist on a Classic: While I love the classics, traditional chicken Alfredo can get a bit boring you know? So, I decided to get a little adventurous – swap out the chicken for shrimp, plus throw in some sauteed onions and garlic, and WINE! Well, it turned out better than I ever expected and I think you’ll love it, too. 
• Restaurant Quality: While I’m all about easy dinners, sometimes, I like to make something that looks really fancy. This shrimp Alfredo recipe truly looks (and tastes!) like a dish you’d order at a fancy Italian restaurant and will definitely impress. Restaurant quality but still fits into the easy pasta recipes category? That’s a win!

What is Alfredo Sauce?

Alfredo sauce is an Italian-American creamy white sauce usually served over pasta. A simple Alfredo sauce requires only 3 ingredients – heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese. You’ll find variations, though, that add herbs and spices like pepper, nutmeg, or parsley; or, like mine, wine! 

In northern Italy, where you’ll find cream-based sauces, it’s likely that the sauce won’t be prepared separately. Instead, each ingredient is tossed in a pan with the cooked pasta. Here in the US, we usually make our Alfredo sauce in a separate pan, then combine it with the pasta and serve. 🍝

What You’ll Need

• Fettuccine Pasta
• Olive Oil and Butter
• Raw Shrimp: I like using deveined shrimp with the tails still on.
• Seasonings: We’ll be using sweet paprika, dried basil, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Veggies: Grab a sweet yellow onion and fresh garlic.
• White Wine: Any dry white wine will be great, but I tend to prefer Chardonnay in this shrimp Alfredo recipe. No matter what you choose, make sure it’s a wine you would enjoy drinking! Cooking wine is not recommended.
• Parmesan Cheese
• Add-Ons: These are optional, but I love adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley to each serving.

How to Make Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

• Pasta: Cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the package. 
• Shrimp: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and paprika and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are pink. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside.

• Sauce: Set the skillet back over medium-high heat and melt your butter. Stir in the chopped onion and cook them for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute. 
• Deglaze: Slowly add wine to the skillet and, using a wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up all the browned bits. Cook for 2 minutes or until the wine is slightly reduced.
• Whisk: Pour in the heavy cream, whisking as you go, and season with the basil and thyme. Continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese and continue to whisk until the sauce is creamy and smooth. 
• Add Lemon: Remove the sauce from the heat. Whisk in the lemon juice and continue to whisk the sauce until it is completely combined. 
• Combine: Taste your sauce for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Add the cooked shrimp and prepared fettuccine to the sauce. Then, toss to combine. Garnish the dish with parsley and serve. 

Tips and Tricks

• Shrimp: Frozen shrimp can be a big cost saver if you like to buy in bulk. Just be sure you defrost them under running cold water before cooking. Otherwise, pick up some fresh deveined shrimp at your local grocery store or fishmonger.
• Don’t Overcook the Shrimp: Shrimp cooks really fast, so don’t walk away from the pan while they’re on! There’s nothing worse than overcooked, rubbery shrimp.
• Alfredo: If you don’t want to make your Alfredo sauce as you cook, you can always use your favorite store-brand. If you go this route, I still recommend adding the seasoning and wine to the base sauce to amp things up. Or, feel free to make a batch of homemade Alfredo sauce from our sister site Diethood!

What to Serve With Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

This dish is almost a complete meal in one. You have carbs, protein, and dairy. So, all that’s missing is a veggie, right? It’s great to serve along with a large family-style salad. 

Or, you can mix your veggies right in. Broccoli goes great in shrimp Alfredo pasta, but I’ll bet you already knew that. Fresh spinach or kale would also be great to stir in. You could also throw peas or sun-dried tomatoes into this dish to pack it full of veggie power. Mushrooms are also a delicious option!

You can’t go wrong with including a cheesy breadstick or flatbread on the side. My no knead skillet cheese bread would also be pretty amazing! Use it to sop up all of the extra creamy, saucy, goodness!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Your leftover creamy shrimp Alfredo pasta will store nicely in your refrigerator in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing these leftovers. 
• To reheat your shrimp fettuccine Alfredo, toss it in a shallow pan and simmer on low on your stove top. You may need to loosen your sauce up with a splash of wine or cream.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
• Seafood Mac and Cheese
• Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Manicotti