Made with lemon, garlic, cream cheese, and parmesan, this Creamy Shrimp Pasta is an easy weeknight dinner full of flavor. Serve with breadsticks and a side salad for a quick dinner everyone is sure to love.
The Best Shrimp Pasta Recipe
This creamy shrimp pasta recipe looks like something you’d find on your plate at Olive Garden or your favorite Italian restaurant – but it tastes so much better!
Using simple ingredients like minced garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and grated parmesan, this shrimp pasta is bursting with flavor while cream cheese and chicken stock create a smooth, creamy sauce.
And the best part is, it all comes together in under 30 minutes!
Serve with some Olive Garden breadsticks and a side salad and you have a restaurant-worthy dinner ready in a pinch, any night of the week!
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What You’ll Need
You’ll need just a handful of ingredients and spices to make this shrimp pasta recipe. See the recipe card below for measurements.
- Fettucine pasta
- Shrimp – You’ll want raw, not precooked, shrimp for this pasta dish.
- Garlic – You can’t have creamy garlic pasta without fresh garlic!
- Spices – This recipe is seasoned with salt, paprika, and pepper.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese helps form the super creamy pasta sauce.
- Chicken stock – The exact amount you need will depend on how thick or creamy you want your sauce.
- Parmesan cheese – It’s best to grate the cheese from the block yourself.
- Lemon juice – Adds a bright touch to the dish.
- Parsley – For garnishing the dish.
How to Make Creamy Shrimp Pasta
This creamy lemon shrimp pasta recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, from start to finish.
- Cook the pasta. Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Cook the shrimp. Season the shrimp with garlic, salt, paprika, and pepper. Fry until cooked through, then set aside.
- Prepare the sauce. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Gently heat until the cream cheese melts. Add a cup of chicken stock and stir until smooth. Add more stock if needed.
- Add the other ingredients. Return the shrimp and pasta to the pan with the sauce. Stir well. Sprinkle with parsley and enjoy.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few suggestions for making the best creamy shrimp pasta.
- Cook the pasta just to al dente. To avoid a mushy and soft dish, follow the instructions for cooking your pasta to al dente.
- Can I use different pasta? Absolutely. While I love shrimp fettuccine, you can use any other pasta you’d like, such as linguine or spaghetti noodles.
- Use a different stock. For a slightly different flavor, try using fish or vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.
- Can I use a different protein? Absolutely. If shrimp isn’t your thing, you can easily turn this into creamy chicken pasta!
What to Serve With Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
My favorite way to serve this creamy shrimp pasta is with some copycat Olive Garden breadsticks and a side salad. It makes a complete, filling meal that comes together in no time.
Garlic bread or any crusty bread would also work in place of the breadsticks and you can swap the side salad for some roasted or steamed veggies, if desired.
And, of course, feel free to add some freshly grated parmesan on top just before serving too.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Leftover creamy garlic shrimp pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Note that as it sets, the sauce will get thicker so you may want to add a splash of broth when reheating it. Both the microwave and stovetop will work to reheat it.
Can I Freeze This Shrimp Pasta Recipe?
You can also freeze this shrimp pasta. Once it cools, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then place it in an airtight container. It will last for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat as directed above.
More Easy Pasta Recipes:
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
- Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi
Creamy Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
Sauce ingredients
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1-2 cups chicken bullion/stock depending on how thick you want the sauce
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the directions on the box and put it aside
- In a large bowl combine the shrimp with the garlic, salt, paprika and pepper
- Spray a large pan with non-stick spray and fry the shrimp. Remove the shrimp from the pan and put it aside
- Put the rest of the ingredients into the pan and gently heat until the cream cheese melts. Start with one cup of chicken bullion/stock and add more if you want a thinner sauce. Stir until everything is combined and smooth.
- Put the pasta and shrimp back into the pan and stir it well.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
Last Step:
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