Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- ▢8 ounces (225 grams) linguine pasta
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▢1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢1 ½ tablespoons butter divided
- ▢1 pound (450 grams) raw shrimp buy frozen, peeled, and deveined shrimp
- ▢½ teaspoon salt
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▢¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢1 tablespoon Old bay seasoning optional – or smoked paprika or cajun
- ▢1 clove garlic minced
- ▢½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK)
- ▢½ cup (40 grams) parmesan cheese grated
- ▢¼ cup chopped fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
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In a medium-sized saucepan, boil water and salt it. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
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In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, and add olive oil. Cook the shrimp for a minute, then season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning or paprika if using.
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Continue to cook the shrimp until it’s pink. Do this in batches if you’re worried that you may overcook the shrimp. Remove the shrimp onto a plate and set aside.
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In the same pan, melt the remaining butter and add garlic, cook for 30 seconds or until it's fragrant. Add the heavy cream, and with the spatula deglaze the pan.
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Add parmesan, let it melt then loosen the sauce with reserved pasta water and allow to simmer for a minute. Taste the sauce and see if more salt and pepper is needed.
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Toss the pasta with the sauce until it’s well coated. Add the shrimp back in to reheat it gently, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Notes:
- If you cook the shrimp from frozen, you will have liquid coming out and that’s fine as it will take about a minute to simmer it down (not enough to overcook the shrimp). If possible, thaw the shrimp before cooking.
- Don’t forget to reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water, it’s quite starchy and great for loosening up the sauce. You will most probably need much less than a cup, but to stay on the safe side I always reserve 1 cup and drain the rest.
This pasta makes 4 normal servings, or 3 big ones.
- Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the pasta in a skillet over low-medium heat, and add a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Do the same if using the microwave. I don’t recommend freezing this creamy shrimp pasta.
