Description
This Creamy Marry Me Shrimp Pasta is a luscious and flavorful dish featuring tender shrimp cooked in a rich garlic Parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasonings, served over perfectly cooked linguine or spaghetti. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s an elegant yet easy meal perfect for weeknights or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
Shrimp
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine or spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Set pasta and reserved water aside.
- Cook the shrimp: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the peeled and deveined shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Let the sauce simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it slightly thickens.
- Toss pasta in sauce: Add the cooked pasta back into the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly, adding the reserved pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs loosening to your desired consistency.
- Combine shrimp and pasta: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and gently stir them into the pasta and sauce. Cook together for 2 minutes until the shrimp are heated through and flavors meld.
- Season and serve: Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, though it may be less rich.
- For a spicier kick, increase the crushed red pepper flakes according to your preference.
- Make sure not to overcook shrimp to keep them tender and juicy.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency perfectly.
- Gluten-free pasta can be used as a substitute for a gluten-free version.
