Description
Creamy Shrimp Linguine is a delicious Italian-American main course featuring perfectly cooked shrimp tossed with linguine pasta in a rich and velvety garlic-parmesan cream sauce. This quick and flavorful dish combines tender shrimp, aromatic garlic, a hint of red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley for a satisfying seafood pasta dinner ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz linguine pasta
- Salt for pasta water
Shrimp and Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Finishing Touches
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the shrimp: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until they turn pink and are just cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the sauce: Lower the heat to medium and add butter and minced garlic to the same skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in red pepper flakes if using, then pour in the heavy cream and broth. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Add cheese and season: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, mixing well until melted. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta with shrimp and sauce: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet along with the drained linguine. Toss everything together to combine, adding reserved pasta water gradually as needed to loosen and coat the pasta with sauce evenly.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and lemon zest for brightness. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.
Notes
- For a lighter sauce, substitute half-and-half in place of heavy cream.
- Add fresh baby spinach or peas to the sauce for extra color and nutrition.
- Use peeled and deveined shrimp for quick and easy preparation.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if it becomes too thick.
