Creamy shrimp alfredo pasta on a plate with a fork beside it

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This Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccini is a major comfort food. There’s just something about a mountain of pasta consumed by rich creamy sauce, and studded with large, tender shrimp that has my name written all over it. It reminds me of my favorite dish at Olive Garden; seafood Alfredo.

I sent some leftovers of this pasta to my sisters house and she called me soon after to ask if I had posted it on my blog yet, adding, “This is better than any restaurant Alfredo I’ve ever tried!” It’s a winner.

Not to mention, the price you pay for 1 plate of this at Olive Garden could feed a family of six. It’s also surprisingly easy to make and is ready in under 30 minutes. My son LOVES it and I don’t have to remind him 100 times to take another bite.

Watch How to Make Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta:

Ingredients for Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta:

3/4 lb fettuccine or penne pasta
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup white wine (I used Ste Chapelle Chardonay ~$6)*
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
S&P to taste
Sprinkle of paprika
Parsley or basil for garnish if desired

Shrimp Alfredo-9

*Want to Substitute the Wine?

No problem! Omit the white wine and squeeze some lemon juice into the sauce after adding the cream, adding the lemon juice to taste (about 1/2 medium lemon) then season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not concentrate.

How to make Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta:

1. Cook 3/4 lb fettuccini noodles in salted water according to package instructions and drain. Don’t rinse (this helps the sauce stick to the noodles better).

2. Lightly season shrimp with salt, pepper and paprika. Preheat a large skillet to med/high and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 min per side or just until fully cooked and no longer translucent. They should be golden/pink on the outside and opaque white on the inside. Don’t over-do it or they will be rubbery. Remove shrimp to a separate bowl.

Two photos of shrimp in a skillet in one they are cooked in another raw

3. In same pan, over medium/high heat, add 2 Tbsp butter and onion and sauté onion till golden. Stir in garlic and sauté another minute. Stir in 1/3 cup white wine and reduce to 25% scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan.

Three photos of skillets with onions and garlic being sautéed

4.Stir in Cream and simmer for 2 min. Next, sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup parmesan (or add to taste) and stir just until creamy and smooth and remove from heat. Don’t boil or the cheese will separate from the cream. Add about 1/4 tsp paprika and season with S&P to taste.

Two photos of alfredo sauce being prepared

5. Add the cooked shrimp and drained (un-rinsed pasta). Garnish with parsley, basil, extra parmesan or freshly cracked pepper if desired.

Two photos of alfredo sauce in a saucepan with shrimp and pasta being added to it

A plate of creamy shrimp alfredo pasta with a fork beside it

Shrimp Alfredo-4-3

Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe

4.94 from 293 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Creamy shrimp alfredo pasta on a plate with a fork beside it
This Shrimp Fettuccine Aflredo is a major comfort food. There's just something about a mountain of pasta consumed by rich creamy sauce, and studded with large, tender shrimp that has my name written all over it. It reminds me of my favorite dish at Olive Garden; seafood alfredo. It's also surprisingly easy to make; ready in under 30 minutes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people
  • 3/4 lb fettuccine or penne pasta
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup white wine, I used Ste Chapelle Chardonay ~$6
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • S&P to taste
  • Sprinkle of paprika
  • Parsley or basil for garnish if desired

Instructions

  • Cook 3/4 lb fettuccini noodles in salted water according to package instructions and drain. Don't rinse (this helps the sauce stick to the noodles better).
  • Lightly season shrimp with salt, pepper and paprika. Preheat a large skillet to med/high and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 min per side or just until fully cooked and no longer translucent. They should be golden/pink on the outside and opaque white on the inside. Don't over-do it or they will be rubbery. Remove shrimp to a separate bowl.
  • In same pan, over medium/high heat, add 2 Tbsp butter and onion and sauté onion till golden. Stir in garlic and sauté another minute. Stir in 1/3 cup white wine and reduce to 25% scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan.
  • Stir in Cream and simmer for 2 min. Next, sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup parmesan (or add to taste) and stir just until creamy and smooth and remove from heat. Don't boil or the cheese will separate from the cream. Add about 1/4 tsp paprika and season with S&P to taste.
  • Add the cooked shrimp and drained (un-rinsed pasta). Garnish with parsley, basil, extra parmesan or freshly cracked pepper if desired.

Nutrition Per Serving

647kcal Calories45g Carbs28g Protein39g Fat23g Saturated Fat3g Polyunsaturated Fat11g Monounsaturated Fat0.2g Trans Fat273mg Cholesterol214mg Sodium458mg Potassium2g Fiber4g Sugar1362IU Vitamin A2mg Vitamin C194mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
647
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
39
g
60
%
Saturated Fat
 
23
g
144
%
Trans Fat
 
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
11
g
Cholesterol
 
273
mg
91
%
Sodium
 
214
mg
9
%
Potassium
 
458
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
 
45
g
15
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
28
g
56
%
Vitamin A
 
1362
IU
27
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
194
mg
19
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 647
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
This recipe reminds me of my favorite dish at Olive Garden; seafood alfredo. The creamy pasta studded with large, tender shrimp is the ultimate comfort food! |natashaskitchen
4.94 from 293 votes (105 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Adam Logan
    March 7, 2017

    Made this for my meal of the week, for my housemates, and they absolutely loved it. Serves about 3-4 hungry guys. Next time I’m doubling the recipe so theres some leftovers. The sauce is so much better than any Alfredo you can buy at the store.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 7, 2017

      That is awesome!! I’m so glad you all loved the recipe and I agree – it’s nice to have leftovers of this one!! 🙂

      Reply

  • Kaitlyn
    March 6, 2017

    This is my most requested meal from my husband and daughter; it is SO GOOD!! I use smaller shrimp to get more in each bite, but the sauce is really what makes this so delicious. Rich, creamy, and filling… YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 6, 2017

      I’m so glad you and your family love the recipe!! Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂

      Reply

  • Bob I
    March 4, 2017

    I had some proseco open (and quite bubbly still) in the fridge and used that, along with smoked paprika. Great sauce!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 4, 2017

      That’s wonderful to know it works with proseco! Thank you for sharing that and your awesome review! 🙂

      Reply

  • Vic Nielsen
    February 22, 2017

    Very good.I add lobster as well and some chillie peppper flakes.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 22, 2017

      That sounds divine! 🙂

      Reply

  • Elyza Iusan
    January 19, 2017

    This is one of my fave recipes! I make once a month at least!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 19, 2017

      I am so glad you enjoy it!!!

      Reply

  • Jeann
    December 30, 2016

    Love, love, love, absolutely love this recipe!!!!
    Thank you so much!!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 30, 2016

      You are very welcome Jeann 😬.

      Reply

  • Candy
    December 26, 2016

    This was so much easier than I thought it would be. And it was sooo good! I will definitely be making this often. Thank you so much, and for all your other great, easy-to-follow recipes!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 26, 2016

      Candy, you very welcome and thank you for such a wonderful review on the pasta 😬.

      Reply

    • Natasha Bedusenko
      January 29, 2020

      Hey Natasha,

      Wondering if I can use precooked shrimp, if so how would I go about using them instead of the raw shrimp?

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        January 29, 2020

        Hi Natasha, (hey great name!!) I have found that if you try to cook pre-cooked shrimp they shrink and become rubbery. It’s doable but I’d recommend using raw shrimp for best results.

        Reply

  • Angela
    November 13, 2016

    OMG! This is absolutely the best. It’s better than any restaurant dish I have ever had. This is my third time making this meal. Your instructions and pictures are so easy to follow, there’s no way to make a mistake. Thank you for sharing. My family and I love this dish. It has become our favorite!! You Rock!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 13, 2016

      Thank you so much for that fantastic review!! 🙂

      Reply

  • Beverly
    October 19, 2016

    Im going to make this for dinner this weekend. Where would i purchase that same wine at? Walmart?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 19, 2016

      Hi Beverly, I purchased it locally (it is an Idaho brand) at Walmart and at Fred Meyer. It’s not sold everywhere though. You can replace it with your favorite Chardonnay (most brands will work just fine) 🙂

      Reply

      • Lora K
        November 1, 2016

        I used Sherry because that’s the only wine I had in my fridge, and I put leftover steak in addition to shrimps, it was delicious, thank you Natasha!

        Reply

  • liz
    October 12, 2016

    Very yummy, I was skeptical at first but everyone loved it! My 4 year-old picky eater loved it. He thought it was store bought. Husband loved it as well. I’m glad I made it! Thank you, great recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 13, 2016

      Liz, thank you for the wonderful review and you are very welcome 😀.

      Reply

  • Suzanne L. Brown
    September 25, 2016

    Would this be a dish you could add Black Truffle butter to?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 25, 2016

      Hi Suzanne, to be honest, I’ve never tried black truffle butter. Sounds fancy and delicious but I really haven’t tried it. Sorry, I know that’s not very helpful. If you try it, let me know how it works out 🙂

      Reply

  • Lyndsey Antrobus
    August 28, 2016

    We made this for our 1st anniversary dinner- absolutely scummy, Will be making it often. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 28, 2016

      Lyndsey, thank you for such a nice review and you are very welcome 😁.

      Reply

  • Nicole
    August 12, 2016

    What can i use as an alternative for wine (any non alcholic drink)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 12, 2016

      Hi Nicole, you can replace it with chicken broth although the flavor won’t be quite the same. Maybe add a splash of fresh lemon juice at the end to taste.

      Reply

  • Anna Perevozchikov
    July 11, 2016

    Made this one today and it was soooo delicious. I usually never comment on recipes but Natasha well deserves a medal. Thank you so much!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 11, 2016

      Awww you’re so nice! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing your awesome review 🙂

      Reply

  • Yana
    June 23, 2016

    Very delicious alfredo sauce. The best one so far that I’ve ever made! Thank you Natashenka! 😄

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 23, 2016

      I’m so happy you loved it! You’re so very welcome 🙂

      Reply

  • Eddie
    June 13, 2016

    I am a huge fan of shrimp alfredo! This is by far the best recipe that I have ever attempted. I first tried with my teflon cookware and it didn’t come out quite right. Then I got some stainless cookware and man what a difference! Please never remove this recipe! It is a must keep!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 14, 2016

      Thanks for sharing your awesome review! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  • Lizette
    May 27, 2016

    This recipe was very tasty! However, I did not use any wine. I want to cook this dish again and was wondering if champagne is a good substitute for the chardonnay. Does it make a significant difference if I use champagne? I don’t know much about wine, hence my question.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 27, 2016

      Hi Lizette, to be honest, I’ve never tried making this recipe with champagne so I can’t say for sure. If you test it, make sure it’s not a sweet champagne. I’ve seen other recipes online that utilize champagne but I just haven’t tested it to say for sure.

      Reply

      • Lizette
        May 31, 2016

        Thank you for your reply. I tried the recipe with “brut” champagne and it came out delicious! 10 times better than the first time I made this with no wine.

        Reply

  • Nicole
    May 17, 2016

    I made this several months ago and have been dreaming of it ever since (I lost the printed recipe and this is the first time I’ve remembered to look for it while in front of a computer). It’s amazing! It’s hands down the best alfredo sauce I’ve ever tasted, and I can’t believe that I made it from scratch! Thank you for this recipe. I can’t wait to make it again soon.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 17, 2016

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing your fantastic review!

      Reply

      • Nicole
        May 30, 2016

        I forgot to add that I live in a Muslim country where wine is not readily available, so I used chicken stock in place of the wine and the recipe still came out amazing!

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          May 30, 2016

          I’m glad yo liked it Nicole and nice job improvising 😀.

          Reply

  • D. Brummitt
    May 12, 2016

    Can one use half-and-half instead of heavy cream? My problem is that it always seems to curdle (or lump) and (most of the time) I end up adding an egg yoke which only partly ameliorates the problem. It can get yucky fast.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 12, 2016

      I think half and half would be an ok substitute. I use it to make my chicken and mushroom alfredo and I do like that it is a lighter sauce with half and half.

      Reply

      • D. Brummitt
        May 13, 2016

        Thnx, that’s what I generally use …. but any thoughts about the curdling issue? I’m an improvisatory … (too lazy to get the right amounts of the right ingredients together) cook and, as I say, generally (but not always) get lumps and curdled cheese in the end result.

        As I think of it, I often dust the shrimp with flour before I saute them because I like a little crust … perhaps this is my problem.

        Any fool proof way to bust up a lumpy sauce?

        Thanks so much for your advice.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          May 13, 2016

          I have found that curdled cheese can result from overcooking the sauce once the cheese is in. You only want the cheese to melt and if you continue to heat it after adding it, it will become lumpy. I hope that helps! Also, I have found that butter helps with this issue so don’t skip the butter 🙂

          Reply

          • Svetlana
            May 17, 2016

            Same happened to me! Do not cook it with the cheese! Stir it in, let it melt, and that’s it 🙂 it’s still yummy though

          • D Brummitt
            May 18, 2016

            OK Svetlana and Natasha! No (additional) heat after the cheese!!! Made it Sunday night! It was a “hit” but who really knows … sauce was curdled but it tasted fine. Like the idea of Bacon also Cayenne. Onward and upward, thanks.

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            May 19, 2016

            I updated the recipe to clarify about when to turn off the heat. I’m so glad you liked it!

  • Samantha Agar
    April 15, 2016

    I have made this twice for my family and it is one of our favorites. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 15, 2016

      You are welcome Samantha, I’m glad you like the recipe.

      Reply

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