Creamy lemon garlic shrimp pasta is so easy but such a showstopper recipe. The sauce and pasta cooks at the same time for minimum effort. Just delicious!
Ingredients
Full recipe + amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Shrimp / Prawns.
- Butter.
- Fresh garlic.
- Cream. Heavy/whipping.
- Fresh parsley.
- Salt and pepper.
- Pasta of your choice.
How to make shrimp pasta
- Start the sauce: Get a large pot of salted water boiling while you start the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet/frying pan then add the shrimp in batches until golden brown and opaque. I used frozen, deveined shrimp for this recipe and just removed the shells before cooking but you could use shelled shrimp as well. Try to buy the very best shrimp you can afford because the difference is notable. You want sweet, juicy, plump shrimp or prawns that won’t be rubbery once cooked.
- Cook the pasta and finish the sauce: Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Once the shrimp are cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add a little more butter (or olive oil) to the pan and fry the garlic for a few seconds before adding the cream, lemon juice and parsley. You can also add a half teaspoon of chilli or red pepper flakes for some heat. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the cooked shrimp back in.
- Combine and serve: Mix with the cooked, drained pasta and a little of the pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce. Serve with Parmesan and parsley.
What is the difference between prawns and shrimp?
Living in South Africa, we’ve always called this specific type of crustacean, “prawns” (as do many people around the world). Shrimp to us are teeny tiny prawns that are used most often in frozen seafood mixes. However, shrimp or jumbo shrimp as they are called in the US and what we call prawns are pretty much exactly the same thing. So when you see an American recipe using shrimp, they are using prawns (usually Tiger/Queen prawns). Similarly for American readers, if a recipe calls for prawns, simply use shrimp/jumbo shrimp.
Is shrimp healthy?
- Shrimp or prawns are an excellent source of protein and vitamin D, which is essential for calcium and magnesium absorption.
- They also have high levels of zinc which helps to increase leptin levels in your body. Leptin helps your body’s regulation of fat storage and use of energy.
- Shrimp contain Iodine which also helps with your body’s energy levels and how energy is used when your body is resting, it also plays a role in supporting your thyroid gland.
- They also contain many other minerals and vitamins essential for heart health, healthy hair and skin and bone health like phosphorous, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids.
Shrimp recipes
Creamy lemon garlic shrimp pasta
Creamy lemon garlic shrimp pasta is so easy but such a showstopper recipe. The sauce and pasta cooks at the same time for minimum effort. Just delicious!
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Servings: 4 -6
Calories: 406kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g/1lb tagliatelle or pasta of your choice
For the Creamy lemon garlic shrimp pasta sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 500 g/1lb shrimp/prawns deveined and shelled
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 cup/250ml cream
- 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- handful fresh parsley finely chopped
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.
- In the meantime, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet/frying pan and cook the prawns in batches until golden brown and opaque. Season the prawns to taste.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining butter and garlic and cook for a few seconds, until the garlic is fragrant then pour in the cream, lemon juice (start with 2 tablespoons and add more if you wish), parsley and season to taste.
- Allow to simmer over gentle heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add the shrimp back in and adjust seasoning.
- Add the pasta and a little of the cooking water and toss until the pasta is coated in the sauce.
- Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 695mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg
Tasted amazing, thank you, kids loved it too. . I added some spinach and sundried tomatoes, yummy ?
AMAZING! Absolutely love this dish with tagliatelle – so easy to make and simple ?
Thanks Jennifer. It’s one of my favorites.
Im doing this for the second time now, its sooooo good! love it!
So happy to hear that!
Won’t the lemon juice curdle the cream? If not, why not?
If you add the lemon close to the end of the cooking time it shouldn’t curdle. I’ve never had that issue before.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. Delicious! Thanks also for the succinct explanation between shrimp and prawns as they apply to different cultures. Well summarized.
We love this recipe and make it a few times a month. My kids love when it’s shrimp pasta night!
That is so fantastic to hear. Your kids have VERY good taste. 😉
Looks delicious and so tasty. Can’t wait to try it!
Hope you love it!
Thank you for stating the ingredients also in “g” and “ml” because I am from Europe and I find the “cup” and “lb” plain confusing and painful.
I will cook this tonight 🙂
One of our familys favourites. My kids ask for it every week!
Your kids know a good thing when they taste it. 😉
Loving that sauce Alida. And shrimp is always popular on our menu. We all love it. I’ve got to try this recipe!
Thanks Mary Ann. It’s a family fav!
What kind of cream is used?
Heavy or whipping cream.
Made this for dinner and it was fabulous. Great recipe.
Thanks so much Jo-Anne!
Delicious! Loved how flavorful the sauce was!
So good to hear that, thanks Cat!
Was searching the net looking for something to make for book club when I saw your post. Definitely making this tomorrow night! Thanks, Alida!
I hope you love it Blair, please let me know what you and the book club thought! 🙂
have you or anyone else tried this using cashew cream (soaking cashews overnight and putting in the blender)? just curious
I haven’t but if you do, please let me know how it worked!
Serious pasta goals up in here!!! Not only does this creamy-dreamy shrimp pasta look absolutely delicious, but I just love how easy this is to make! It’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners, yet fabulous enough for entertaining! Pinning to try! Cheers!
Thanks Cheyanne! Hope you love it!
Love this recipe! I have never tried it with cream before but use half a glass of white wine and a squirt of tomato paste to the prawns whilst cooking. Will definitely try this version too.