Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Warm Shrimp Pasta

Garlicky shrimp, a silky Parmesan cream sauce, and pasta that hugs every bite. Cozy enough for a cold night, fast enough for a weeknight.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A bowl of creamy shrimp pasta with Parmesan, parsley, and cracked black pepper on a wooden table with a fork resting beside it
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Some nights you want dinner to feel like a blanket. Not a fussy blanket. A soft, warm, why did I not make this sooner blanket. That is exactly what this comforting shrimp pasta does.

It is rich without being heavy, brightened up with lemon, and built on a simple rule I live by: if you are making a cream sauce, you need a little acid and a lot of tasting as you go. The shrimp cook fast, the sauce comes together in one skillet, and the whole thing lands on the table with that cozy, restaurant-at-home energy.

Shrimp sizzling in a skillet with garlic and butter, lightly browned at the edges

Why It Works

  • Quick comfort, real flavor: shrimp cook in minutes, and the sauce is a simple butter, garlic, cream, and Parmesan situation.
  • Silky sauce that actually clings: a splash of starchy pasta water helps the sauce hug the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Cozy but not flat: lemon zest and juice wake up the richness, and a pinch of red pepper flakes adds a gentle glow.
  • Flexible: use whatever pasta you have, swap spinach for peas, or add mushrooms if your fridge is giving “use me.”
  • Minimal dishes: a pot for pasta, one skillet for everything else.

Pairs Well With

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Storage Tips

How to Store and Reheat

Creamy pasta is best fresh, but leftovers can still be very good if you reheat with a little care.

Fridge

  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but it is best within 2 days for peak texture.
  • If possible, keep a small splash of reserved pasta water or broth separate to loosen the sauce later.

Reheat (best method)

  • Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, broth, milk, or cream.
  • Stir gently until the sauce relaxes and turns silky again. Do not crank the heat or the shrimp can go rubbery.

Can you freeze it?

I do not recommend freezing this one. Cream sauces can separate and shrimp can get tough. If you want a freezer-friendly option, freeze the cooked shrimp separately and make the sauce fresh.

Common Questions

Common Questions

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or quick-thaw in a bowl of cold water for 15 to 20 minutes. Pat very dry before cooking so you get a little browning instead of steaming.

What pasta shape works best?

Fettuccine and linguine feel extra cozy, but penne or rigatoni are great if you want sauce in every nook. Use what you have.

My sauce got too thick. How do I fix it?

Add a splash of hot pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until it loosens up. Pasta water is magic because it helps the sauce stay creamy and clingy.

My sauce looks a little grainy. What happened?

Usually the heat was too high when the Parmesan went in. Take the pan off the heat, add a splash of cream or pasta water, and whisk gently. Next time, keep the sauce at a low simmer and add cheese slowly.

Can I make it lighter?

You can swap half-and-half for heavy cream, but keep the heat low and add lemon a little at a time. Acid plus high heat can mess with dairy. You can also reduce the cheese slightly and lean on lemon and herbs for flavor.

Is this spicy?

Only if you want it to be. The red pepper flakes are optional and can be adjusted from “barely there” to “I feel alive.”

How do I know the shrimp are done?

Look for shrimp that are opaque and curled into a gentle C-shape. If they tighten into a little O, they have gone a bit too far. Pull them early and let them finish in the sauce.

This is the kind of pasta I make when I want dinner to feel like I tried, even if my day was a mess. Shrimp is my favorite weeknight shortcut because it cooks faster than I can talk myself into ordering takeout. The first time I made this, I accidentally reduced the sauce a little too far and had to “save it” with pasta water, which turned into a permanent habit because it made everything smoother and more luxurious. Now it is my go-to cozy flex: one skillet sauce, bright lemon, garlicky shrimp, and a bowl that disappears fast.