Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Pasta
A quick and easy creamy Tuscan shrimp pasta recipe ready in 20 minutes, featuring a luscious cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and tender shrimp.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) peeled and deveined medium shrimp
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed preferred)
- 3 cups fresh spinach (loosely packed)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120ml) chicken broth
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 50g)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 ounces (225g) fettuccine or linguine pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces (225g) of fettuccine or linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually 9-11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup (120ml) pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound (450g) peeled and deveined shrimp, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until pink and just opaque. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add 3 minced garlic cloves to the same skillet; sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Toss in ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute to release their flavor.
- Pour in 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream and ½ cup (120ml) chicken broth. Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted smoothly. Add ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if using, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time to loosen it.
- Toss in 3 cups fresh spinach and let it wilt into the sauce, about 1-2 minutes. Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet, stirring to coat everything evenly and warm through.
- Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat noodles in the creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan or fresh parsley.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking shrimp to avoid steaming. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for richer flavor or soak dry ones in warm water before chopping. Lower heat when adding Parmesan to prevent curdling. Multitask by cooking pasta and shrimp simultaneously for timing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: creamy Tuscan shrimp pasta, quick shrimp pasta, easy dinner, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach pasta, fettuccine shrimp, weeknight dinner