This amazing creamy shrimp pasta is an easy recipe with garlic butter and spinach sauce. Flavorful spices, tomatoes and cream cheese makes this rich dish irresistible!
Easy Creamy Shrimp Pasta
When it comes to shrimp pasta, this Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta Recipe is about as good as it gets! I have been making this shrimp for years, adding this and that until it’s just right. Now I’m happy to share my perfected shrimp pasta recipe in hopes your family will love it as much as mine!
The secret to the creaminess is cream cheese. I first cook the shrimp in flavorful garlic butter then remove the shrimp to make the pasta sauce. The left over goodness inside of the pan is what makes this sauce complete!
This dish is one of my favorite dinner recipes along with my Filet Mignon, Honey Lime Chicken and Grilled Salmon Burgers.
If you don’t cook shrimp often, here are some tips to help you in the kitchen.
Do you peel shrimp before cooking?
To make this recipe quick and easy, I buy shrimp that’s already been peeled and deveined. It’s up to you whether you choose tails to be on or off. This recipe works for both peeled or unpeeled shrimp and the tail on or off.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If using frozen, make sure it’s thawed before putting over heat.
What seasonings do you use for shrimp?
Shrimp have a mild flavor that take on the flavors of what it’s being cooked with. Cooking it in garlic butter will bring out the flavor of shrimp, but to give this shrimp even more added flavoring, I added salt, cracked pepper, red pepper flakes and a variety of Italian seasonings.
Is This Shrimp Pasta Recipe Healthy?
Shrimp is a great protein with very little fat that can improve bone and brain health.
Adding spinach leaves to to your shrimp pasta sauce gives you some added health benefits! Good news, when you eat heated spinach, you’ll absorb higher levels of vitamins A and E, protein, fiber, zinc, thiamin, calcium, and iron.
Flavorful Shrimp Pasta Sauce
After adding the spinach, this is what the sauce looks like as it bubbles and thickens.
To make a low carb meal you can eat the creamy shrimp alone and not even worry about the pasta. It’s so good either way! Although I love serving this flavorful shrimp sauce with linguine.
What is the difference between spaghetti and linguine?
Both pastas are long, but the difference is the shape. Spaghetti is circular and linguine is flat. Linguine works well with fish and why I chose it for this easy shrimp recipe.
Well now my mouth is watering and I’m craving this delicious dish again for dinner! I hope you enjoy this amazing creamy shrimp as much as me. Pair it with one of these simple salads and you can’t go wrong!
You might also love these shrimp recipes:
Creamy Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound shrimp
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cracked pepper
- ¾ cup 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- ¾ cup peeled tomato canned or fresh, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 12 oz linguine pasta cooked
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
- Add shrimp and cook until they start to change color.
- Add garlic and stir.
- Add crushed red pepper, cracked pepper and cook a few more minutes until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Transfer shrimp to a separate dish.
- Add milk and cream cheese to the skillet. With a spoon or whisk, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to mix the browned bits into the mixture.
- Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme and stir.
- Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low while sauce continues to thicken.
- Mix in the spinach leaves.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the shrimp back into the skillet and mix.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve over pasta.
- Add fresh parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published August 6, 2019 – Updated 2024
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You might also love our Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini. It’s another amazing pasta dish!
This sounds amazing! I love creaky so i’ll definitely add extra milk like you suggested. Can’t wait to make this for the family.
My family loves shrimp and this is a great easy, weeknight dinner. Thanks for the idea
Such a delicious recipe!
This easy dinner recipe is delicious! Definitely in our dinner menu rotation.
We all loved this shrimp pasta!
This is everything a gourmet meal should be, and then some! Looking forward to enjoying this for dinner tonight!
My whole family LOVES this dish….so fast and easy!