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. 

An Easy Shrimp Pasta Recipe

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. 

But, ho hum chicken Alfredo can get a bit boring, ya 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. 

Wine for the 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. 🍝

Recipe Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll really only need 3 things – pasta, shrimp, and a homemade Alfredo sauce. 🍤

Here is everything you’ll need:

• fettuccine pasta
• olive oil
• raw shrimp
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• sweet paprika
• butter
• yellow onion
• garlic
• dry white wine (I prefer Chardonnay)
• heavy cream
• dried basil
• dried thyme
• parmesan cheese

Optional Additions:

• lemon juice
• chopped parsley

How to Make Creamy 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. Add the shrimp to the hot oil and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are pink and fully cooked. 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. 

Serving Ideas

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 a fettuccine Alfredo dish, but I’ll bet you already knew that. Fresh spinach or kale would 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 to stir into this dish!

You can’t go wrong with including a cheesy bread stick on the side. 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 stay nicely in your refrigerator in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing these leftovers. 

To reheat your Creamy Shrimp Alfredo with pasta, 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.