Creamy Shrimp Pasta

Carbs, shrimp, bacon, creamy Alfred sauce… do I have your attention yet? This dish is perfect for a cheat meal, a special occasion, or because you had a rough day and you deserve to be spoiled. I love this recipe because it’s completely fool proof. It works perfectly every single time and everyone loves it. 

Cooking the spaghetti. It is best to go according to package instructions for this part. There are so many different brands and different kinds of spaghetti so for best results, follow instructions given on the package.

You can prepare the shrimp and the creamy sauce while your spaghetti is cooking because lets face it- who can actually wait for this goodness?!

Start with the shrimp. I like to use raw shrimp for this recipe because that way I know my shrimp is fresh and I get the most flavor as possible. Once your shrimp is cooked, remove it from your pan and set it aside and continue on with the rest of the recipe.

All about the wine. This recipe calls for dry white wine because I think the wine gives this creamy sauce an incredible taste that makes it special and different than your regular Alfredo sauce. My favorite white wines for cooking are Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay however, you can use any white wine that you have on hand. 

Substituting the wine. If you are worried about the alcohol content from the wine, I can assure you that it will evaporate and you will only be left with the flavor but if you would prefer to substitute the wine, I recommend using 3 Tablespoons of red or white vinegar or juice of half of a lemon.

Can I use already cooked shrimp? If you would like to use cooked shrimp for this recipe, you certainly can. The benefit of that would be that you would save a little bit of time. If you are using already cooked shrimp, defrost and warm it up per packaged instructions and add it to your dish very last once all of the rest of the ingredients are cooked and combined. Start with Step #3 of the recipe instructions if you are using already cooked shrimp.

Substituting the shrimp. Can you? Absolutely! Although this dish is meant to be Creamy Shrimp Pasta, you can certainly replace the shrimp with chicken but you can also leave it out. 

How can I thicken or thin out the sauce? One important thing to remember here is that if your sauce comes out to be too thick or too thin than desired, don’t worry. Here are steps to take to get to the perfect consistency. 

 

Ingredients:

•3/4 lb spaghetti (3/4 of a 16 oz box)
•1 lb large raw shrimp peeled
•1 Tbsp olive oil
•1/2 finely chopped medium onion
•2 Tbsp unsalted butter
•1-2 garlic cloves, minced
•1/4 cup dry white wine
•2 cups whipping cream (or whole milk)
•1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
•1/2 tsp salt or to taste
•1/4 tsp black pepper
•1 Tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
•optional: 2 slices of crispy bacon, cut into bits

Instructions:

1. Add pasta to a pot of boiling water with 1 Tbsp salt and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, prepare the shrimp and sauce.

2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Place a large pan over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and cook 2 min per side or just until fully cooked.Remove to a separate dish.

3. In the same hot pan, add 2 Tbsp butter and onion and sauté until soft or about 3 minutes.

4. Add minced garlic cloves and sauté for another minute.

5. Stir in white wine and boil down until there is only half of the liquid left.

6. Stir in 2 cups cream and let it simmer for about 3 minutes.

7. Add shredded Parmesan cheese and parsley and let it simmer for 2 more minutes until creamy.

8. Stir in the pasta and cooked shrimp, tossing until evenly combined. Top with bacon bits if desired for extra flavor. 
This dish is best when served warm.