Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

If you love quick pasta dinners, this Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is one to save. Juicy shrimp are seared until lightly golden, then tossed with pasta in a rich garlic butter sauce with Parmesan, fresh parsley, and just a little sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat.

It looks and tastes like something you would order at a restaurant, but it comes together surprisingly quickly at home. And you know me—I don’t need anything complicated, especially when butter and garlic are involved!

Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

The best part of this recipe is making everything right in the same skillet. After searing the shrimp, don’t clean that pan! Those little browned bits left behind add so much flavor to the garlic butter sauce.

The red pepper flakes are optional, but I love adding a little. They don’t make the pasta overly spicy—they simply give that creamy sauce a nice little kick.

Ingredients

• 8 oz linguine or spaghetti
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Extra Parmesan for serving, optional

How to Make Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta until al dente. Before draining, save some of that pasta water—you may want it later to loosen the sauce.

Sear the Shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 1–2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and develop a little golden color.

Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside. Don’t clean the skillet! All that flavor left behind is exactly what we want.

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Make the Creamy Garlic Butter Sauce

Add the minced garlic to the same skillet and cook briefly, just until fragrant. Garlic cooks quickly, so don’t let it burn. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Add the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.

Stir and allow the sauce to gently simmer for a few minutes until it begins to thicken.

Bring Everything Together

Return the shrimp to the skillet and add the cooked pasta.Toss everything together until the pasta is completely coated in that creamy garlic butter sauce.If the sauce becomes thicker than you like, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach the perfect creamy consistency.

Finish with plenty of fresh chopped parsley, a little extra Parmesan, and—if you’re like me—another tiny sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

A Few Tips

Don’t overcook the shrimp. They cook incredibly fast, and removing them from the skillet while you prepare the sauce keeps them tender.

Fresh garlic makes a huge difference here, so this is one recipe where I wouldn’t be shy with it.

And adjust those red pepper flakes to your own taste. Start small—you can always add more!

What to Serve With Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

Honestly, this one doesn’t need much. Add a simple green salad and some crusty bread to catch every bit of that garlic butter sauce, and dinner is done.

Creamy, garlicky, buttery, a little spicy, and loaded with shrimp—exactly the kind of pasta dinner that disappears quickly around here.

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Check other easy dinner recipes below

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