Homemade alfredo sauce ready in 30 minutes & way better than the restaurant version!
It may be hard to believe, but I’m sharing my simple, creamy homemade shrimp alfredo pasta made with just six ingredients. Yes. Six ingredients. It will be on the table from start to finish in under thirty minutes, making it perfect for any night of the week.
Although, if you need something elegant to serve guests, this could be it. The tender shrimp and al dente pasta are tossed in the luscious, creamy homemade alfredo sauce and feel just as fancy and impressive as my braised fall-off-the-bone lamb shanks or any recipe from my Greek holiday table eBook.
Why is this way better than the restaurant version?
My kids always order shrimp or chicken alfredo at restaurants, but homemade is so much better. The ingredients are better, it’s more cost-effective, and the overwhelmingly simple ingredient flavor of the Alfredo cannot be beaten.
Rich, creamy alfredo
Perfectly cooked pasta
Soft and tender shrimp
Is this traditional Italian alfredo sauce?
I may be slightly judged because this is not an original Italian Alfredo pasta dish. It’s just my quick, easy, and delicious version. However, if you want an authentic Italian version, head to my friend’s channel, Vincenzo’s Plate.
What type of shrimp do I use?
No matter what size, use peeled and deveined shrimp with or without the tails removed. My mom removes the tail in her shrimp dishes, but I think they add flavor. So, I leave them on. I’ll let you decide what size shrimp to use because the occasion, price, and level of elegance all play a factor here. I typically use medium shrimp, but smaller shrimp often come without any shell, and jumbo shrimp can be used to help decorate the final dish for guests.
What are the ingredients for homemade alfredo sauce?
Butter -you can use less or more butter, but you don’t want to miss the buttery flavor in your sauce.
Garlic cloves -grated or minced to melt into and flavor the entire sauce
Heavy whipping cream -is the base for thick and lusciously creamy sauce.
Shredded Parmesan cheese -If you have or can find Greek Graviera cheese, definitely try it. Use as much as your heart desires. The more the merrier!
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper –a must to enhance the sauce’s simple but delicious flavors.
Crushed red pepper flakes -optional, but I encourage you to add at least a pinch to create and even more complex sauce.
What type of pasta can I use?
I used spaghetti noodles in my video because I didn’t have fettuccine noodles. So, you can use any noodles you have on hand for the family, but I think fettuccini noodles would be the most impressive noodles for guests. I use it in my creamy chicken scampi pasta as well!
Do you use any garnishes?
Dried oregano -or Finley chopped parsley, if you have it on hand, adds the perfect amount of herbiness to the sauce.
Lemon wedges -optional for serving, but I love how a squeeze of lemon brightens the whole plate.
Could I add vegetables to the Alfredo pasta?
Yes! Spinach, broccoli, and asparagus would all be delicious in this cheesy dish. Add the spinach to the skillet with the garlic to wilt before adding the cream and roast the broccoli and asparagus. It will add even more flavor and ensure the veggies are thoroughly cooked when you add them to the skillet with the cooked spaghetti.
How do I prepare the pasta for Alfredo?
Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.
How do you cook the shrimp?
Lightly season the shrimp with salt and black pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the shrimp to cook for 30 seconds per side. Then, transfer the shrimp to a plate.
How do you make shrimp alfredo pasta sauce?
If the skillet needs more butter, add it to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add the butter and red pepper flakes to warm for 20-30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and slightly golden. Add the heavy cream, salt, and pepper, and cook 3-4 minutes until steaming hot. This will also deglaze the skillet.
When does it all come together?
Now. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the shrimp and parmesan chees, and toss it all together to coat. Warm through and season with dried oregano or fresh parsley. The sauce will first be thin but thicken as the pasta absorbs some of the cream.
What if the dish gets cool before I can serve it?
Instead of turning the burner back on and risking a burnt sauce, add some hot pasta water to warm it up slowly. This will also keep from overcooking the pasta.
How to serve creamy shrimp alfredo?
As I said, you can serve this any night of the week with any variation of noodles and shrimp you can find. And you can serve it as a special meal to guests for a bit of elegance. No matter who you serve it to, put out a bowl of additional Parmesan cheese and fresh-cut lemon wedges to squeeze over the top. A fresh Greek lettuce or spanakopita salad would go well alongside bread to sop up every delicious drop of Alfredo sauce. Try my roasted garlic bread, Greek country village bread, or easy homemade crusty baguettes for beginners. Kali Orexi!
Watch the Video:
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Shrimp & Pasta tossed in a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and so much better than the restaurant version!
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500g) peeled and deveined shrimp
- butter
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 2-3 cups of heavy whipping cream
- salt, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 6 oz (170g) shredded Parmesan cheese or Graviera (Greek cheese)
- 1 pound pasta noodles
- dried oregano or Finley chopped parsley
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.
- Lightly season the shrimp with salt and black pepper.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the shrimp and cook 30 seconds per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
- Add more butter if needed and reduce the heat to low. Add the butter and red pepper flakes. Warm through 20-30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and slightly golden.
- Add the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes until steaming hot. This will also deglaze the skillet.
- Add the pasta to the skillet along with the shrimp and parmesan. Toss to coat. Warm through and season with dried oregano or fresh parsley.
- At first the sauce will be thin but it will thicken. Add some pasta water if there's not enough sauce and to warm it up again.
- Serve with more Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges. Kali Orexi!
Notes
Add vegetables to the Alfredo pasta:
- spinach
- broccoli
- roasted asparagus
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Maria says
30 minutes per side???? On the shrimp?????
dimitra says
So sorry! That was a typo!! I fixed it. It’s 30 seconds per side. Thanks for letting me know about the mistake 🙂 Enjoy!! xxDimitra
John says
Sounds good, will try it
Mel. says
This is so much better with Graviera than it is with Parmesan . Another cheese to try with it is Kefolatyri .MMMMM
dimitra says
Yes! I agree with you 🙂