Easy Shrimp Alfredo with Angel Hair Pasta | 30-Minute Creamy Dinner
Are you looking for a shrimp recipe that’s elegant enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night?
My Easy Shrimp Alfredo with Angel Hair Pasta will knock your socks off. It’s creamy, garlicky, and ready in under 30 minutes. It’s the perfect blend of fancy and fast.
Why You’ll Love this Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
This shrimp alfredo tastes like something from your favorite Italian restaurant, but it comes together in no time with just a few pantry staples. The sauce is rich and creamy thanks to cream cheese (instead of heavy cream), and the delicate angel hair pasta soaks it up beautifully.
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Quick 30-minute seafood dinner
- Made with simple ingredients you probably already have
- Creamy shrimp alfredo without heavy cream
- Elegant enough for date night or Christmas Eve dinner
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need some simple ingredients to make this creamy shrimp alfredo with angel hair pasta. No jarred sauce required.
Main Ingredients:
- Raw Shrimp – peeled and deveined
- Angel Hair Pasta
- Butter and olive oil
- Minced garlic
- Chicken broth
- Lemon juice
- Cream cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
Pro Tip: Use raw shrimp instead of pre-cooked. It absorbs the creamy garlic sauce while cooking and it stays tender.
Ready to make it? Here’s the complete recipe card for my Easy Shrimp Alfredo with Angel Hair Pasta. It’s creamy, garlicky, and full of flavor.
Equipment
- 1 Colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tblsp olive oil I typically use grapeseed oil
- 1 tblsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced I use minced garlic from a jar, I use about 1 heaping teaspoon
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- juice of 1/2 lemon about 2 tablespoons
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp thyme or Italian seasoning You can use just about any spice that you like
- 2 tblsp cold butter, divided
- 1-2 oz grated parmesan cheese
- parsley to garnish, optional
- additional grated parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
- 8 oz. angel hair pasta
Instructions
Pasta
- Fill saucepan 3/4 full with water, a pinch of salt, and set on medium-high heat to start to boil
- Once water is at a rolling boil, add pasta and cook for 4 minutes. Drain
Shrimp
- Add oil and 1 tablespoon butter to saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer. As soon as the shrimp is pink on the bottom side and starts to curl flip it over with tongs. (1-2 minutes for each side)
- When shrimp are just done, add the garlic and stir for one minute. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside
- To the saute pan add the chicken broth and lemon juice and bring to a slow boil, stir in the cream cheese and spices. When the cream cheese has melted. Then add the cold butter one tablespoon at a time until melted. The sauce should be getting somewhat thick at this point. Depending on how cheesy you want it you can add 1-2 oz of grated parmesan cheese. Or just serve on top if you don't want your sauce to thick.
- Add the shrimp and any juices back to the saute pan and stir into the creamy sauce. Heat through (about 1 minute). Serve over pasta. Garnish with parsley and grated parmesan
Recipe Tips and Variations
A few little tweaks can make this easy shrimp alfredo recipe your own:
- Go Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning for a little kick.
- Swap the pasta: Fettuccine, linguine, or even zoodles (zucchini noodles) work beautifully with this recipe.
- Make it richer: Substitute mascarpone for cream cheese or add a splash of white wine in the sauce
- Add veggies: Toss in sautéed spinach, peas, or mushrooms for color and flavor.
Holiday Helpful Hint: This shrimp alfredo makes an elegant Christmas Eve dinner when you want to cook something quick but special.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your creamy shrimp alfredo with:
- A crisp green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette or my homemade ranch dressing
- Roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli
- Crusty sourdough bread to soak up every drop of sauce
And if you’re feeling fancy, pour a glass of chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.
This recipe also works beautifully over zoodles for a lighter option or as part of a romantic date-night dinner at home.
Sauté Pan vs. Skillet
A little kitchen talk because I get this question a lot!
A sauté pan has straight sides, and that’s what I use for this shrimp alfredo recipe. It keeps splattering to a minimum (which is a big deal on my not-so-easy-to-clean stove).
A skillet has sloped sides and works great for quick sears or frying an egg. “Handy” love his skillet, but I’ll pick my sauté pan every time.
When I replace my pots and pans, it’s going to be with an environmentally friendly, safer set that still looks beautiful hanging in my kitchen.
Why Shrimp is a Great Choice
Shrimp isn’t just delicious, it’s full of protein and amino acids that help maintain balanced sleep and a stabilized mood. Plus, shrimp cooks quickly, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love
If you love easy seafood dinners, these are worth saving:
- Cajun Butter Sauce Shrimp: It’s a spicy, buttery perfection
- Shrimp Primavera from A Bushel & A Pickle: It’s light and colorful.
- Shrimp Bisque from Reinvented Delaware: Creamy and cozy in the Instant Pot
FAQ’s
Let’s Eat
This creamy Shrimp Alfredo and Angel Hair Pasta is the kind of comfort food that never goes out of style. It’s simple, flavorful, and ready in minutes.
Add a salad, light a candle, and you’ve got an elegant meal that feels like “Living Large in A Small House”. I just might take our bowls out to the new greenhouse to eat!
Enjoy!
A great way to save this recipe is to add it to one of your Pinterest boards. You can find the pin button on the top left of the photo when you click on it. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest.
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This sounds delicious!
So easy – I just added some cream cheese to my typical lemon, garlic butter recipe!
Love shrimp and pasta Sounds delicious.
Pinned
It was so yummy! I hope you enjoy –
this looks delicious! i am going to have to make it!!!!! thanks for sharing!
It was really good! Rich but good. It was my typical shrimp recipe that I just decided to add cream cheese to and it was a really good thing!