Recipes Ingredients Seafood Recipes Shrimp Recipes Shrimp Alfredo Be the first to rate & review! Our take on this rich shrimp and pasta dish is easy and irresistible. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Published on January 31, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 35 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 8 Jump to recipe Sometimes the simple things really are the best. It's certainly true of this shrimp Alfredo recipe. Garlicky shrimp and perfectly al dente strands of fettuccine pasta mingle with a rich and buttery Alfredo cream sauce. It's an indulgent Italian-American recipe that is sure to become a comfort food favorite in your kitchen. The sauce for this shrimp Alfredo is so good, you'll want to lick the plate clean. It's flavored just with fresh garlic and lemon, yet the dish is hearty enough to be a solid meal, thanks to protein-packed shrimp and carb-heavy pasta. A refreshing green salad or platter of steamed vegetables is always a good idea to round out the meal. 12 Shrimp Pasta Recipes You'll Want to Make for Dinner Tonight What Makes Shrimp Alfredo Special The comforting Italian-American dish pairs juicy, plump shrimp with a classic creamy sauce. There are a few key ingredients (besides the obvious shrimp and pasta) that add layers of flavor to this dish: Garlic: The garlic flavor in this recipe is subtle but important. Instead of mincing the garlic cloves, we crush them with the back of a knife. They are added along with shrimp when they’re sautéed, so the garlic flavor slowly infuses into the butter. Lemon: Both the zest and fresh juice of a lemon add a bright flavor to the finished dish. You can even grate more lemon zest over the top before serving to really bring the pasta and shrimp back to life. Butter: You could use olive oil to sauté the shrimp, but butter is even more flavorful. It will complement the creamy sauce perfectly. Heavy cream: This recipe uses a lot of heavy cream, but that’s what Alfredo sauce is all about! The cream melds with the cheese to create a silky sauce that coats each piece of shrimp and strand of pasta. Parmesan cheese: Pairing seafood with cheese can be controversial, but for this recipe, it works. The cheese is incorporated into the Alfredo sauce as well as being sprinkled over the top of each serving. Choosing the Right Shrimp Buying shrimp can be confusing. Sizing varies pretty drastically—and size matters for this pasta dish. Shrimp are sized by the number in a pound, and each grocery store and fish market uses different metrics when labeling their shrimp. This recipe calls for large shrimp, which usually range somewhere between 30 to 40 shrimp per pound. Since this recipe serves eight people, that would mean each serving has four or five large shrimp. Use your best judgment when purchasing shrimp for any recipe. For this dish, choose ones that you feel won’t be too large to eat in a few bites with the pasta. How to Store Fish the Right Way (So Your Fridge Doesn't Smell) This recipe is also delicious with slices of grilled chicken breast instead of shrimp. The Best Pasta for Alfredo Sauce Fettuccine is the classic noodle for any Alfredo dish. The long strands of pasta are perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce and twirling onto forks. Fettuccine is another good choice for this recipe because the shrimp won't get lost among the noodles. You could also use most other long noodles, such as spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini, instead. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 pound fettuccine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail left on if desired 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 ¾ cups heavy cream 1 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more lemon zest for serving (optional) Directions Rachel Marek Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta. Rachel Marek Cook shrimp and garlic in butter: Heat a large straight-sided skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and lemon zest, and cook until just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Rachel Marek Remove shrimp and add cream to pan: Remove shrimp from pan, leaving garlic. Add cream and simmer on medium for 5 minutes. Rachel Marek Add drained pasta and cheese: Remove garlic cloves. Stir in drained pasta and cheese. Rachel Marek Add reserved pasta water and season: Mix in pasta water to achieve a creamy consistency, then season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Rachel Marek Add shrimp and serve: Add shrimp and serve sprinkled with cheese and lemon zest. Rachel Marek Storing and Reheating Leftover pasta and shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Because of the cream sauce, we don't recommend freezing leftovers. Reheating To reheat, pop the tray in the microwave in 30-second increments or warm up a portion in a skillet over low heat, being careful not to curdle the sauce. Store some of the pasta water separately in the refrigerator. If the Alfredo sauce seems thick as you reheat it, incorporate some of the starchy pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Frequently Asked Questions Can I use frozen shrimp for shrimp Alfredo? Yes, you can use frozen shrimp for shrimp Alfredo. Just be sure to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before using. How do I avoid overcooking shrimp? Shrimp are small and tender and easy to overcook. To avoid overcooking them, pull the shrimp from the skillet just as soon as they start to turn pink and curl up. There will be some residual heat from the pan, so even if they are slightly undercooked when you take them out of the skillet, they will get to a safe temperature as they rest. What can I add to Alfredo sauce to make it taste better? This Alfredo sauce tastes really great and doesn't need extra help. It is far from bland. All of the lemon, garlic, and fat from the heavy cream create a rich, thick, and flavorful sauce. If you want to amp up that flavor even more, you could add a minced shallot when you sauté the shrimp or stir some garlic powder into the sauce before serving. What can I serve shrimp Alfredo with? Any salad is the perfect accompaniment to shrimp Alfredo, but we’re partial to another classic–Caesar salad. Since the dish is so rich and indulgent, a fresh or lightly cooked vegetable is another great pairing. More Shrimp Recipes to Try: Seafood Linguine Linguine With Shrimp and White Wine Lemony Shrimp Scampi New Orleans-Style Shrimp and Rice Easy Shrimp and Tomatoes Spaghetti With Shrimp, Kale, and Burst Tomatoes Shrimp Tikka Masala Shrimp Francese Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley Wofford is a recipe developer, food stylist, and writer with over 15 years of experience and holds a Professional Culinary Arts diploma from the International Culinary Center. In addition to MarthaStewart.com, Riley's work can be found in TODAY.com, Delish, Food52, and Marley Spoon.