Shrimp Alfredo

Creamy, garlicky, rich homemade Alfredo sauce tossed with Cajun-seasoned juicy shrimp and served over tender spaghetti. A delicious, comforting, and surprisingly easy dinner in just 30 minutes!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Servings

Calories 771kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (28ml) oil
1 pound (450g) jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon (4g) Creole seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons (42g) butter
2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
1 teaspoon (1g) fresh thyme
1 teaspoon (2g) Italian seasoning
1½ cups (355ml) heavy whipping cream
½ cup (120ml) whole milk
2-3 ounces (60-90g) cream cheese, softened
1-1½ cup (100-150g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces (225g) spaghetti (or pasta of choice)

Instructions

Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil, then add shrimp and let it rest for 30 seconds before flipping. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping to cook each side evenly until fully cooked. Set aside.
Heat a skillet or saucepan on medium heat, then add butter to the pan followed by garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning. Saute for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
Turn down the heat to medium-low. Whisk in the cream and milk, then add cream cheese, continuing to whisk until thoroughly blended.
Add parmesan cheese and continue to whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Turn off the heat and toss with pasta and shrimp to serve immediately. Or let it cool, then store it in the fridge until ready to be used.

Notes

If you're using frozen shrimp, defrost them before cooking. Just place them in a colander and run cold water over them. Toss them and let them sit for a few minutes. They should completely defrost in 10 minutes.
To get your Alfredo sauce to stick to the pasta, reserve some pasta water after cooking. Then add the hot pasta right to your cream sauce with the reserved pasta water and cook for about a minute.
Dairy-based sauces can curdle if cooked at a high temperature for too long. Cooking on medium-low heat until just heated through is the safest option. Resist the temptation to boil the sauce. Dairy products with a higher fat content also prevent curdling since skim milk curdles more quickly than fattier options.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition