Shrimp Alfredo

Creamy, garlicky Shrimp Alfredo with plenty of Parmesan! This is my from-scratch version, but the video shows what happened when Doug found a bargain on precooked shrimp and I decided to stretch some jarred Alfredo sauce. Sometimes dinner is about using what you’ve got!

Watch Me Make It

Laura’s Kitchen Confession: I doubled the recipe in the video, used precooked shrimp Doug found on sale, and started with jarred Alfredo sauce. I needed more sauce, so I added extra ingredients—including about 6 oz. of cream cheese from a package I’d already opened. The written recipe below is the from-scratch version.

Ingredients

• 12 oz. pasta, short or long
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1½ sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, divided
• 1 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (raw or precooked)
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• About 6 oz. cream cheese, softened and cubed
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 8 oz.), divided
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• Garlic salt, optional, to taste at the end

Directions

1. Cook the pasta. Cook according to package directions. Before draining, save about 1 cup of pasta water, just in case. Drain without rinsing.
2. Cook raw shrimp (if using). Pat dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp, turning as needed, until opaque and cooked through (145°F), about 2–2½ minutes depending on size. Remove to a plate. If using precooked shrimp, skip this step.
3. Make the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the heavy cream and remaining 10 Tbsp. butter to the skillet. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes without boiling. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Stir in softened cream cheese until smooth, then gradually add 1½ cups of the Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted.
4. Combine. Add pasta and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water at a time until it’s how you like it. Return the cooked raw shrimp, or add precooked shrimp now, and warm gently. Stir in parsley, then taste before adding more seasoning.
5. Serve. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmesan and extra parsley. Add a little garlic salt only if needed, and serve from the skillet.

Laura’s Tips

• Why save pasta water? As pasta cooks, it releases starch into the water. A little of that starchy water can loosen a sauce and help it cling to the noodles. I didn’t need mine this time, but I always save about a cup just in case. Once it’s down the drain, you can’t get it back!
• Why unsalted butter? Pasta water is often salted, and Parmesan already contributes salt. Unsalted butter gives you more control. Taste first, then add garlic salt at the end only if needed.
• Raw or precooked shrimp? Both work! Cook raw shrimp first and remove it while making the sauce. For precooked shrimp, thaw safely in the refrigerator if frozen, drain well, and add near the end just long enough to heat through so it doesn’t get rubbery.
• Using jarred Alfredo? That’s what I did in the video! Start with your favorite jarred sauce and gently stretch it with a little cream, Parmesan, or cream cheese as needed. Taste before adding salt.
• About the cream cheese: I used roughly 6 oz. because I had an open package to finish. A full 8-oz. brick works too, but the sauce will be thicker; reserved pasta water can help loosen it.