Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
This shrimp alfredo recipe skips the heavy cream and uses cream cheese and half-and-half instead, and the sauce is better for it. Richer, silkier, and way less likely to break. Dinner is on the table in 15 minutes flat.
I’ve been making this easy shrimp alfredo recipe for years, and after a decade-plus in the restaurant industry, I can tell you this sauce holds up against anything you’d order at Olive Garden – for a fraction of the price.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It checks every box for a weeknight dinner that actually delivers.
- No heavy cream required. Cream cheese and half-and-half create a sauce that’s thick, creamy, and restaurant-quality without the extra richness.
- Ready in 15 minutes. Cook the pasta, sauce, and shrimp simultaneously, and it’s on the table fast.
- 4.78 stars from 132 readers. This one has been tested by a lot of home cooks and they keep coming back to it.
- Endlessly adaptable. Swap in chicken, use zucchini noodles, thin the sauce, spike it with red pepper flakes. It works every way.
What Readers Are Saying
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I just made this tonight and let me just say it is the BEST Alfredo I’ve ever had! It tastes very gourmet. The linguine pasta is better than fettucine, and the nutmeg adds AMAZING flavor! This one is definitely a keeper. I give 10+ stars. Thanks for sharing!
-Layton⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This recipe is easy to follow and the taste is amazing. My husband thought he was at Olive garden. Thank you Julie for sharing your recipe.
-Shon YoungBest and easiest recipe I have found. I usually add a half cup of half and half though because it’s too thick. But other than that it’s good!! I’ve also made it out of chicken instead of shrimp and added fresh mushrooms and onions!! So delicious; would recommend!
-Rufina
Ingredient Notes
Pasta: Long pasta is the right move here. Fettuccine is classic, linguine is my personal pick, and spaghetti works great too. Avoid short pasta. The sauce clings to long noodles the way it’s supposed to.
Shrimp: Raw, peeled, and deveined with tails removed. You can prep these the morning before and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
Sauce: Cream cheese, half-and-half, butter, garlic, and Parmesan. The cream cheese melts into the base and gives the sauce its body – buy the block, not whipped. Fresh garlic only. The flavor difference between fresh and powder is night and day.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. The nutmeg is subtle, but it’s what makes the sauce taste like it came from a restaurant kitchen. If you don’t have it, leave it out. The sauce will still be delicious.
How to Make Shrimp Alfredo
Here’s everything you need to know to get this on the table fast. Steps 2 and 3 run at the same time, so read through before you start cooking.
⏱️ Multitask tip: Start the sauce and shrimp while the pasta boils. All three finish around the same time.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
- Make the Alfredo sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add cream cheese and cook until melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in half-and-half and Parmesan and bring to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes, whisking often, until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Cook the shrimp. While the sauce simmers, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp 2-4 minutes per side until pink and cooked through.
- Toss and serve. Add shrimp to the pasta pot, pour the sauce over everything, and toss to coat. Divide into bowls and top with Parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
A few things that make a real difference between good alfredo and great alfredo.
- Prep your shrimp ahead of time. Buy raw deveined shrimp and remove the shells and tails the morning or day before. Store cleaned shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook — it makes the 15-minute timeline actually achievable.
- Fresh garlic is non-negotiable. Pre-minced from a jar works in a pinch, but don’t even think about garlic powder. The flavor difference is night and day.
- Don’t skip the nutmeg. It’s subtle, but it’s the thing that makes people ask what your secret is. No nutmeg on hand? Leave it out — the sauce will still be great.
- Want to kick it up a notch? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you toss the pasta and sauce together. Trust me on this one.
FAQ
Can I make the alfredo sauce ahead of time?
Yes – make the sauce up to a day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it slowly over low heat, whisking in a splash of half-and-half to loosen it back up. Cook the pasta and shrimp fresh, and toss everything together.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Absolutely. Thaw completely and pat dry before cooking so they sear instead of steaming. Wet shrimp = rubbery shrimp.
How do I thicken or thin the sauce?
If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir it into the pot. Bring to a simmer, and it’ll tighten up in a few minutes. Too thick? Add a splash of half-and-half or milk until it’s where you want it.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers keep well. Here’s how to make sure they stay that way.
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Warm on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of half-and-half, stirring until the sauce comes back together. The microwave works in a pinch, but the sauce can separate.
What to Serve with Shrimp Alfredo
Keep the sides simple – this pasta is rich enough to be the star. A loaf of crusty bread, breadsticks, or garlic bread for soaking up sauce is basically mandatory. A crisp green salad with Italian dressing balances the richness without competing with it. Roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli are easy vegetable sides that round out the plate without adding much work.
Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ pounds medium raw shrimp peeled, deveined & tails removed
- Parmesan cheese shredded, for garnish
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Set aside.
- While the pasta is boiling, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 clove garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring often to prevent burning. Add 4 ounces cream cheese to the saucepan and cook, stirring often, until melted, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup half-and-half and 1 cup Parmesan cheese to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, whisking often to make sure everything melts together and to prevent burning.
- Cook for 8 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg and whisk to combine. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste.
- While the sauce is simmering, cook the shrimp. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 pounds medium raw shrimp to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once, until pink and cooked all the way through.
- Add the shrimp to the pasta in the large pot and pour the alfredo sauce over everything. Toss to combine and coat the pasta.
- Portion the pasta and shrimp into 4 bowls. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley over each plate for garnish. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Prep time allows for peeling shrimp. If you prep earlier in the day and cook everything at once, this recipe is done in 15 minutes.
- Nutmeg is subtle but worth it. No nutmeg? Leave it out – the sauce will still be great.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of half-and-half.
- Nutritional information is approximately 4 ounces of cooked pasta + 6 ounces of shrimp + sauce per serving.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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I just made this tonight and let me just say it is the BEST Alfredo I’ve ever had! It tastes very gourmet. The linguine pasta is better than fettucine, and the nutmeg adds AMAZING flavor! This one is definitely a keeper. I give 10+ stars. Thanks for sharing!
You just made my day Layton! I’m so glad you loved it!! It’s one of my favorite recipes. 🙂 Thank you for writing in!
Less than a week and my picky husband just requested that I make this again. Lol Thanks Julie! This will definitely be a keeper in my household….
Absolutely outstanding! I can’t have shrimp and I don’t like Alfredo sauce. HOWEVER, this is my husband’s favorite dish. And now, this is his favorite recipe!
Thank you!!!
Going to the store for the ingredients, two questions 1)how important is the nutmeg 2) I’m on a very restrictive sodium diet do you think ms dash would work or should I pick up some No-Salt?
Hi Gary! Nutmeg can be omitted if you prefer, but of course, the flavor profile of the sauce will change a bit. I’d go with No Salt since Mrs. Dash is usually a seasoning blend and you’re only looking to bring out the flavors in the sauce not add something totally different. Hope this helps!
Just made this and everyone loved it! So easy and delicious! Thank you!
I’m so glad it was a hit Summer!
Just made it again tonight and all thumbs up again! Just love this recipe!
Made it for my sister and I and it was delicious!!! So simple and we finished before we knew it! Thank you definitely a go-to meal!
Awesome! So glad you like it!!
This recipe is easy to follow and the taste is amazing. My husband thought he was at Olive garden. Thank you Julie for sharing your recipe.
Made this tonight for my family. My sons loved it!!! Great recipe
I made this for my husband and myself last night , it was great, the only thing is it was to thick. The next time making it I would put more 1/2 N 1/2 to thin it out. Defiantly a keeper, thanks for the great recipe
Best and easiest recipe I have found. I usually add a half cup of half and half though because it’s too thick. But other than that it’s good!! I’ve also made it out of chicken instead of shrimp and added fresh mushrooms and onions!! So delicious; would recommend!
Chicken and veggie add-ins sound like a great idea! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe Rufina!!
Made this tomight.. my goodness did it go fast.. it was really thick though soo I’ll definitely try putting less half and half in next time. But overall my family raved
Tasty! Thought I had cream cheese…not so much. Used ricotta instead and heavy cream. Nice and light – thank you!
I adore ricotta! I’ll have to give that a try!
I too used ricotta instead of cream. Still delicious! Thanks for great recipe!
This is my favorite FAVORITE dish to order out. Can’t wait to try this at home!!
Shrimp alfredo is one of my favorites! Adding to my menu for next week!
Trying it tonight!!!!
Made this tonight and a huge hit with my family! I can’t eat gluten so I used spiralized zucchini for the pasta!!! Delicious!! Sharing with all my Friends!! Thank you!!
What if you don’t have nutmeg?
Hi Kelly! If you don’t have nutmeg you can just leave it out. It’s a subtle flavor, but the sauce will still be good without it.
I made the shrimp alfredo it was a really delicious I didn’t have Parmesan cheese so I use Romano cheese it turned out so good thank you.
Will heavy whipping cream work? Or half and half, milk and cream?
Hi Kindel! Heavy whipping cream will work and so would half-and-half if you’d like the sauce a little lighter. I’d skip the milk unless you’re in a pinch and then use whole milk.
Just made this & it’s the best shrimp alfredo I’ve had! I added twice as much heavy cream for a thinner sauce. It didn’t get soggy even though my guest was late:) Will make again! Thanks for sharing!!
Made this tonight for my valentine of 32 years. She loved it said it was a lot better than getting a box of chocolate. Thanks
That’s so great Sam! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 And I completely agree with her.
I cut the portions in 1/2 since husband’s allergic and son said he wasn’t in the mood for alfredo. Once it was done, guess who enjoyed it immensely? My son! Great recipe! 5 *****!
Wooooo!!!
i made this tonight for myself didnt have parmesian so i used colby jack and it adds a nice taste to the alfredo sauce its so delicious ty for the recipe <3
Good to know!
Made this tasty dish last night! It was superb! Very smooth and rich! The nutmeg was a surprise! Thank you!
Gonna try this for a Beagle club banquet. Looks delicious and the reviews are great so why not! I’ll be serving 50+ folks.
had this once it was amazing! Would like to make a smaller portion….do u think cutting each amount of ingredients in half will do it?
Hi Nicole. You can definitely half the ingredients for a smaller batch. You will still have some extra alfredo sauce depending on how saucy you like your pasta, just a heads up. 🙂
I would like to make this to serve 6 people. How do I increase the recipe?
Hi Julia! You’d want to double the pasta and shrimp. You should have plenty of sauce from the recipe as is. Hope this helps!
I made this for one tonight and it’s great. I have Scallops in the freezer I should have added, well always next time. I didn’t know seafood Alfredo was so simple to make.
Scallops sound like a fab addition!!
Just made this for dinner and added some diced chicken. Used heavy cream since that was all I had. It was amazing. Definitely my go to Alfredo sauce?❤️
LOVE this recipe!! I found it by accident and have now fixed it several times. My family devours this! First time I have ever made an alfredo sauce and it is SO easy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
I’ve made this a couple times and it’s always been a hit. My daughter, the pickiest little human in the world, asked me to make it for her birthday dinner while grandma was in town.. and now grandma wants me to make a jar of just the alfredo sauce. Question.. how long will the sauce stay good for?
Hi Abigail. I’d say 3 days for sure in the fridge. Beyond that, you’d want to keep an eye on it and check…maybe up to a week?! But it’s never lasted that long in my house. 🙂
Too easy! I left out the nutmeg, but added a pinch of Old Bay seasoning, a taste of crushed red pepper and some fresh chives for color. BTW, I cooked the shrimp in the same saucepan and set them aside before making the sauce. It saved on the clean up by using only 1 pan!
I guess you could add some cooked broccoli as well?
I absolutely love this recipe. I tried it for the first time today. My family is in love.
Can’t wait to make this tonight, looks amazing!! I will let you know after we eat!! Gonna use white pepper along with nutmeg cause the flavors really do make this recipe pop!
So scrumptious! ?
Thank you!
Is it possible to prepare it the night before and store in the refrigerator? I have a party and don’t like to cook at the last minute.
Thanks.
You could make the sauce ahead of time, but I would really recommend cooking the shrimp and pasta day of. Reheated shrimp doesn’t taste nearly as good. The shrimp and pasta should only take about 6 to 7 minutes cooking time, and then you can mix in the sauce to let it heat up. That being said, I have a chicken alfredo that’s made in the crock pot if you want something more hands off. 🙂 https://breadboozebacon.com/crock-pot-chicken-alfredo/ Hope this helps!!
What other kind of cheese can I use sounds wonderful
Hi Nancy! You could use Romano or Asiago in place of the parmesan if you like.
This was delicious! I followed the recipe as is except I decided to forego the parsley and added finely chopped chives on the finished product instead. Thanks so much!
Can I use fettuccine pasta instead ? Would it effect the amount of ingredients I have to put in? And I’m serving for a party of 16, should I triple on the ingredients?
Hi Lizz! You can definitely use fettuccine instead. If you’re serving a party of 16 with this as a main dish I would 4x the recipe. This will give everyone 4 ounces of pasta, just under 1/2 pound shrimp, and 3/4 cup sauce (you may not need quite that much sauce per person). Hope this helps!!
It helped so much , my family loved it thank you!
Made it in a quick matter 15-20 minutes and fed the fam :). Is tastes great !
This dish is absolutely amazing! I normally make my Alfredo sauce different and let me just say this will forever be my go to recipe from here on out! I included broccoli and used Penne pasta!
You just made my whole week Chasite! I’m so glad you loved this pasta! Broccoli is always a good add-in with alfredo. 🙂
Great recipe! Very easy and fast. I impressed my wife. Thank you!
I am looking to make a shrimp Alfredo for a progressive dinner in a few weeks. (I chose Entree) I will have to double everything but that’s ok. This looks easy enough. Wish me luck!
Good luck Cindy!
omg this is so good! I added some steamed broccoli at the end for a little veg, and the only change I would suggest is for me, 8 mins for the sauce simmer made it too thick, so next time I will shoot for 6ish, but 100% will make again!!!
Thank you this was perfect! It taste great and my family loved it! However, the absolute best part was the super easy instructions. My 16 year old Autistic Son followed this recipe from start to finish! Thank you we will definitely be trying some of your other recipes.
Just made this for dinner yesterday and it was delicious!! I think I prefer this with shrimp over with chicken.
Only thing is I don’t know if nutmeg made a difference in the taste or not but either way, tasted great!
You’re recipes look delicious .I would love to get more of them . Thanks Donna…
Made this tonight and a huge hit with my family! I can’t eat gluten so I used spiralized zucchini for the pasta!!! Delicious!! Sharing with all my Friends!! Thank you!!