This shrimp pasta recipe in a creamy tomato sauce is good from your favorite Italian restaurant! A silky tomato sauce coats succulent shrimp and penne pasta, with just the right amount of spice from crushed red pepper. This will quickly become a family favorite dinner!
Love shrimp? Make sure I try Shrimp Scampi Recipe! This is a quick dinner idea that everyone loves!
Why You'll Love My Creamy Shrimp Pasta
- Taste! Simple, yet flavor-packed ingredients make the sauce. A few splashes of heavy cream make it silky and rich, as well as seasoning every step from the pasta to the shrimp, and finally that generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top!
- Impressive! This recipe takes about 30 minutes to complete, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner idea, but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party and really impress your guests!
My secret ingredient
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredient list and instructions.
- the shrimp. I like to use a medium-sized (36-40 pound per) shrimp for this recipe, but large or even jumbo-sized shrimp would be great! I like the medium size because it means more shrimp in the pasta! Also the medium sized prawns pair really well with the pen shaped pasta so you can get that perfect bite!
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, minced garlic, dried basil (and fresh basil for garnish), and red pepper flakes! You can absolutely play around with different seasonings to suit your own taste. And use as much or as little cayenne pepper as you like!
- olive oil. I use light olive oil for cooking, because I like the mild taste.
- Crushed tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes are the base of a creamy tomato sauce. Use whatever brand you prefer, but I really like Hunts brand because I find they are less acidic. Of course San Marzano tomatoes are also elite!
- white wine. If you don't like to cook with wine, or don't have any at home, you can use chicken broth instead, although I really like the flavor of adding wine! You don't have to use anything expensive here, but don't use a wine you don't enjoy drinking. If you don't enjoy sipping it, you won't enjoy the flavor it adds to your sauce!
- clam juice. It adds a really nice depth of flavor to your sauce and is my go-to when I make any kind of sauce for seafood!
- Heavy whipping cream. Since you are making a creamy sauce, heavy cream is the way to go! You can add light cream or even half and half if you like.
- Penne pasta. Of course any type of pasta will work, but I love the penne shape with the shrimp in this recipe!
- Cheese made in Parma. I recommend using fresh grated parm in this recipe as opposed to pre-grated. And please don't use the powdered kind!
How to Make Creamy Shrimp Pasta
Like I said, this is an incredibly easy dish to make, and it can be done in under 30 minutes! Detailed recipes are on the recipe card at the bottom of this post! You can print it too!
- Saute seasoned shrimp and garlic in olive oil and remove from pan.
- Without cleaning the pan, add the crushed tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper, wine, clam juice and cream. Cook until it starts to thicken.
- Meanwhile, boil and drain pasta according to package directions.
- Add the cooked pasta to the thick sauce and some parmesan cheese with the shrimp. Stir to combine.
- Season with more salt and pepper if desired and garnish with more cheese, and fresh herbs if desired!
How to adapt this shrimp pasta recipe
- What if you don't have wine? Use chicken broth instead no problem! If you don't even have chicken broth, save some of the pasta water and add this instead!
- Should I use clam juice? You don't have to, but it really adds a nice, subtle flavor to the sauce. If you don't want to add it, you can also sub in the broth instead. Remember that the more you adapt the recipe, the more you lose the flavor!
- What if I don't want to use shrimp? You can use it as a simple swap instead of chicken, or omit it entirely!
- Can I use other types of pasta? absolutely You can really use whatever pasta you like, I wouldn't recommend angel hair or any other thin pasta, as it will soak up the sauce even more and you won't have the right pasta/sauce ratio!
- Can I use jarred tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes? Yes! Jarred sauce is usually already seasoned, so if you're making this swap, be sure to adjust the added seasonings if necessary.
How to Store Shrimp Pasta
Do not keep this airtight in your fridge for more than 2-3 days after making.
You can freeze this dish after making it for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Here are a few more seafood pasta recipes you'll love:
description
This amazingly delicious creamy shrimp pasta is a simple, yet elegant dinner! Perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining, this dish is even better than your favorite Italian restaurant!
- 2 Pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp Fresh black pepper
- 2 – 3 Tablespoon of olive oil
- 6 Clove garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp dry mint
- 1/2 tsp Crushed red chili flakes
- 1 cup White wine or chicken broth
- 1/3 cup clam juice
- 3/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
- 1 Pound penne pasta
- 3/4 cup (or more) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional – chopped fresh parsley and fresh basil for garnish
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- Without cleaning or draining the pan, add the tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes to thicken.
- While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
- Add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shrimp, and cooked pasta to sauce and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
- Garnish with remaining grated cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.
Comment
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I like to use wine in this recipe, but broth is a good alternative.
nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 613
- Sugar: 6.5 grams
- Sodium: 693.7 mg
- Fat: 16.2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 67.2 grams
- Protein: 43.9 grams
- Cholesterol: 265 mg
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