This Tuscan Shrimp Pasta is loaded with plump juicy shrimp in a creamy sun-dried tomato and garlic Alfredo sauce. Add your favorite pasta to make this a quick 30-minute meal. Watch the video tutorial and see how quickly and easily it comes together.
If you loved the flavors of our Tuscan Chicken and creamy Tuscan Salmon then you will love this garlic butter Tuscan shrimp recipe. It’s similar to our Creamy Shrimp Pasta Recipe but weaves in the sweet and earthy flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil.
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Our Best Creamy Tuscan Shrimp
This pasta dish is the perfect example of Tuscan cooking since it’s known for bringing simple ingredients together to create big, bold, crowd-pleasing flavors.
Garlic. Sun-dried tomatoes. Alfredo sauce—need I say more?
Then, throw some pan-fried shrimp into the mix, and your tastebuds will think you’ve traveled straight to a fancy dinner in Tuscany, but you’ve only spent 30 minutes in the kitchen.
Tuscan Shrimp Pasta Video
Watch how this creamy Tuscan shrimp pasta comes together quickly and can feed a crowd. It’s a decadent dish you’ll absolutely love!
Ingredients
Bring this Tuscan shrimp dish together quickly with the bold flavors of these fresh ingredients:
- Pasta – Linguine or fettuccini are perfect for delivering the creamy Alfredo sauce. You can substitute for your favorite wide pasta, like bowties, for example, to grab the sauce. You can even use a gluten-free pasta and cook according package instructions.
- Shrimp – peeled and deveined, you can use tail-on or off. If using frozen shrimp, thaw in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking
- Seasoning – garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper give amazing flavor to the shrimp
- Butter and Olive Oil – add richness to the sauce and keep the butter from burning
- Sun-dried Tomatoes – find these in glass jars packed in oil. Drain the oil, and if they aren’t cut already, chop the tomatoes into strips
- Garlic – the fresh Italian flavor in nearly all Tuscan recipes, so you’ll need about a Tbsp, or 3 cloves minced.
- Cream – Heavy cream or regular whipping cream is best. Half-and-half won’t mix as well with the parmesan, so the sauce won’t be creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese – freshly shredded or grated cheese works best to melt into the sauce. It also adds a saltiness to the sauce, so taste test before adding more salt
- Basil – chop or shred the leaves into strips for garnish
Pro Tip
This recipe moves fast, so chop and prep all of your ingredients. Peel and devein your shrimp before you start cooking. Start the pasta water first, then make your shrimp sauce while your pasta cooks and everything should be done at the same time.
How to Make Tuscan Shrimp Pasta
- Boil – a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta to al dente. When the pasta is finished, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the water. Note: If the sauce isn’t finished when the pasta is done cooking, stir in 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to keep drained pasta from sticking and cover to keep warm.
- Season – the shrimp with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Melt – the butter and oil in a large non-reactive skillet over medium heat. Then cook the shrimp in a single layer for 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Add Sundried tomatoes and garlic – drizzle in more oil to the pan if needed and stir constantly for a minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in cream and parmesan cheese. Bring sauce to a boil stirring constantly. Then reduce heat and simmer for one minute. Season with salt and pepper only if needed
- Add Shrimp and most of the basil and stir to combine then turn off the heat.
- Add Cooked Pasta and reserved pasta water to reach your desired sauce consistency. Garnish with remaining chopped basil, and serve immediately.
Reactive vs. Non-Reactive Pans
Be sure to use a non-reactive pan such as stainless steel or non-stick when cooking sauces with sun-dried tomatoes. Reactive pans such as copper, aluminum, or uncoated cast iron pans will react to acidic ingredients, make your sauce taste tinny, and break your sauce’s consistency.
Don’t Forget!
Once your pasta is ready according to the package directions, reserve a half cup of the pasta water before draining to thin the sauce in step 6. Pasta water is the secret ingredient that lightens up the sauce to perfectly coat the noodles without losing any flavor.
How do I prevent cooked pasta from sticking?
If you start the pasta before the sauce, it should be ready at the perfect time to add to the finished sauce. If the pasta is ready early, reserve your pasta water then drain, drizzle with a little olive oil, and cover to keep warm.
What can I substitute for Shrimp?
Lobster, salmon, or chicken (like our Cajun Chicken Pasta) are excellent substitutes for shrimp in this pasta dish. You can also omit the protein for a side pasta dish.
Can I make this Tuscan Shrimp without the pasta?
Yes, this Shrimp Alfredo recipe perfectly pairs with mashed potatoes, rice, grilled vegetables, garlic bread, and salad. To thin the sauce, you can add a splash of water or milk.
What to Serve with Tuscan Shrimp Pasta
This creamy Tuscan Shrimp Pasta recipe has a rich, decadent flavor. It’s best served with roasted vegetables and fresh salads. These are a few of our favorite recipes to pair with Alfredo pasta dishes:
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: Store the Tuscan Shrimp Pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. According to the USDA, cooked shrimp can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Pasta doesn’t thaw well, so this recipe isn’t a good candidate for freezing
- To Reheat: To avoid breaking the Alfredo sauce, reheat slowly. Place leftovers in a saucepan over low heat. Drizzle in some milk or cream for a creamier sauce consistency and stir constantly until warmed through.
This Creamy Tuscan Shrimp pasta recipe turns simple ingredients into a delicious meal in only 30 minutes. You’ll fall in love with the rich Alfredo sauce, plump shrimp, and earthy sun-dried tomatoes.
More Pasta Recipes
If you love this Tuscan shrimp pasta, then you will love these pasta recipes for some fresh dinner-time inspiration.
Tuscan Shrimp Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8-12 oz linguine, or your favorite pasta, even gluten free!
- 1 lb large shrimp, 21-25 ct, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- Handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn into pieces
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, make the tuscan shrimp sauce (don’t forget to save 1/2 cup of pasta water).
- Add shrimp to a large mixing bowl and pat dry with paper towels. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat in seasoning.
- Set a large non-reactive skillet over medium heat and add oil and butter. Swirl the pan to prevent butter from splattering. Once the butter is done foaming, add the shrimp in a single layer and sauté 1-2 minutes per side or just until cooked through then transfer to a plate.
- In the same pan, add more oil if needed then add sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic. Cook sauce another minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the cream and sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for one minute until the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add shrimp and most of your chopped basil to the pan and remove from heat.
- When the pasta is done, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta into the sauce and toss to coat the noodles in sauce. Add reserved pasta water to thin the sauce and reach your desired sauce consistency. Garnish with remaining chopped basil.
Nutrition Per Serving
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I love love love your recipes. WHAT BRAND SKILLET DID YOU USE IN THE VIDEO? I am a HUGE pasta lover too!
Thanks, Trina! Here’s my Amazon Affiliate link for the Skillet.
This is just a beautiful, delicious and simple dish that gives the appearance that you spent hours in the kitchen. Served with some crusty italian bread and a nice Pinot Grecio makes for a lovely dinner.
You described it perfectly! Thank you for your lovely comment.
Thank you for sharing; it was absolutely delicious. My daughter (7) is a huge fan of your recipes, and each time at dinner she asks if it’s from Natasha. When I say yes, she eats it all with a huge smile on her face.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Andrea. Tell her hello from all of us. I’m all smiles
Natasha! I absolutely love this recipe. I made it tonight for dinner and it was so flavorful and EASY1
Ms Natasha… we loved it… made it yesterday… yummmmmmmmmm… it’s going to be one of my family’s favorite dish
you used a box of pasta. what is the size measurement of the box? Also, for the shrimp, are these raw, or precooked? thanks
Hi Jan, we have that listed on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Click jump to recipe. We used 8-12 oz of linguine and raw shrimp. I hope that helps.