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Cooked shrimp on creamy linguine on white plate.

Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Yield: 6 -7 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Pasta + Shrimp:

  • 1 to 2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp (remove tails, if needed) - see note
  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 ½ cups milk (not skim) or heavy cream (see note!)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Chopped, fresh parsley, for garnish
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions 

  • Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp together with the smoked paprika and a small pinch or so of salt and pepper.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. BEFORE DRAINING, ladle out 1-2 cups of the pasta water and set aside for later. Drain the pasta.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat the 1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet (or a deep skillet) over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add half of the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 30-45 seconds; flip the shrimp and cook just until the shrimp have turned pink and are cooked through (it won't take long!).
  • Using tongs, remove the shrimp to a plate keeping as much butter/liquid in the pan as possible. Repeat with remaining shrimp - removing to the plate with the other shrimp when done cooking.
  • Return the pan to medium heat and melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often (don't let it burn!), until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.
  • If using milk, whisk it together with the cornstarch (see note below). Pour the milk mixture (or heavy cream, if using) into the pan and whisk to combine, letting the sauce bubble and thicken slightly, 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Stir over medium heat until the cheese is melted.
  • Add the cooked noodles, lifting and tossing with tongs to coat the pasta thoroughly with the sauce. Add spoonfuls of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and pasta (just eyeball it - probably won't need to add all the reserved water).
  • Add the shrimp and toss to combine with the pasta. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed! Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
  • Serve immediately (for maximum creaminess)! Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Shrimp: any size shrimp can be used; I prefer using larger shrimp - package is labeled "21 to 30 shrimp per pound" - or thereabouts. If using frozen shrimp, thaw before using. I prefer using 2 pounds of shrimp for this recipe so there is a good amount of shrimp per serving, but you can cut back to using 1 pound. 
Cornstarch: I only use the cornstarch if I'm using milk in the recipe. If using heavy cream, the cornstarch isn't necessary unless you want a thicker sauce. 
Sauce: the sauce ingredients can easily be increased if you want a saucier pasta. 
Parmesan Cheese: preshredded Parmesan cheese won't melt as well in the sauce and may lend a gritty/lumpy texture to the sauce. 
Nutrition Facts: the nutrition facts for this recipe are calculated using lowfat milk (not heavy cream). Also please remember the nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are just an estimate, not a guarantee.