free counter with statistics

The Ultimate Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Herbed Cream Sauce

Are you craving a truly elegant, restaurant-quality pasta dish that you can easily make at home? Imagine tender penne tossed with plump, juicy shrimp in a luxurious, herbed cream sauce made with white wine, garlic, and burst tomatoes. This incredible Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce is the sophisticated, yet surprisingly simple, weeknight dinner or “date night in” meal you’ve been dreaming of.

This is your ultimate guide to mastering a classic pan sauce and creating a spectacular pasta dish from scratch. We’ll show you how simple techniques—like deglazing a pan with white wine and using a secret ingredient for extra flavor—can elevate your home cooking to a whole new level.

What makes this recipe so special is its incredible depth of flavor and its rich, velvety sauce that perfectly coats every piece of pasta and shrimp. This isn’t just a simple pasta toss; it’s a complete, harmonious, and deeply satisfying meal. Get ready to create the best Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce you’ve ever had.

Table of Contents

The Secret to a Restaurant-Quality Pan Sauce

The heart and soul of this Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce is the incredible pan sauce, built layer by layer in a single skillet. This is a classic restaurant technique that is easy to master at home.

  1. Searing the Protein: We start by quickly cooking the shrimp in the hot skillet. This not only cooks the shrimp perfectly but also leaves behind flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, known as the fond. This is the foundation of our sauce’s flavor.
  2. Sautéing the Aromatics: We then briefly cook the garlic and red pepper flakes in the remaining oil to bloom their flavors.
  3. Deglazing: This is a crucial step where we pour in the white wine and lemon juice. The acidic liquid instantly lifts all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into the sauce and adding incredible depth.
  4. Building the Sauce: We then add heavy cream and clam juice and let it simmer. This reduces the liquid and concentrates the flavors, creating a rich base.
  5. Finishing with Butter & Cheese: A final swirl of butter and a handful of Parmesan cheese emulsify into the sauce, making it glossy, creamy, and luxuriously smooth.

The “Liquid Gold” You Shouldn’t Throw Away

While not explicitly in the original recipe, the number one secret to a perfect, non-oily pasta sauce is reserved pasta water. Before you drain your cooked pasta, save about a cup of the starchy, salty cooking water. The starches in this “liquid gold” are a powerful emulsifier. When you toss your pasta with the sauce, adding a few splashes of this water will help the sauce cling beautifully to every noodle and ensure a silky, creamy consistency, never a broken or oily one.

The Key Ingredients for Your Shrimp Pasta

Each ingredient in this Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce is chosen to build a rich, complex, and balanced flavor profile.

  • Large Shrimp: The sweet, tender star of the dish. Use shrimp that are already peeled and deveined to save time.
  • Penne Pasta: The sturdy tubes of penne are perfect for catching the creamy, chunky sauce.
  • The Sauce Liquids:
    • Dry White Wine: A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc adds a crucial layer of bright acidity. For a non-alcoholic version, use chicken broth with an extra squeeze of lemon.
    • Clam Juice: This is a fantastic secret ingredient found in small bottles in the canned fish aisle. It adds a deep, savory, “taste of the sea” umami that beautifully enhances the flavor of the shrimp.
    • Heavy Whipping Cream: Provides the luxurious, creamy texture that defines the sauce.
  • The Fresh Components:
    • Canned Whole Tomatoes: Use a good quality brand and roughly chop them. They break down to create a light, rustic tomato base.
    • Fresh Basil & Parsley: This recipe cleverly uses fresh herbs in two ways: cooked into the sauce for depth, and stirred in at the end for a bright, fresh finish.
Fresh ingredients for the Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce recipe.
High-quality ingredients like fresh shrimp, white wine, and herbs are the key to this delicious pasta dish.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce

This elegant meal comes together in about 30 minutes. Have your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin.

  1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package directions until it is al dente (tender but with a firm bite). Just before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  2. Cook the Shrimp: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
  3. Start the Sauce: To the same skillet, add the chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the chopped basil, 1/4 cup of the chopped parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Deglaze and Simmer: Add the white wine and clam juice to the pan, and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.
  5. Finish the Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and stir until it has melted and the sauce is creamy.
  6. Combine and Serve: Add the cooked shrimp and the drained pasta back to the skillet with the sauce. Add the remaining fresh basil and parsley. Toss everything together until all the ingredients are coated in the luscious sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of your reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
  7. Serve: Season your Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce to taste with more salt and pepper. Transfer it to a large serving bowl or individual plates. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Grating fresh Parmesan cheese over a bowl of the finished Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce.
Finish the dish with a generous grating of fresh Parmesan cheese just before serving.
Print

The Ultimate Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Herbed Cream Sauce

Grating fresh Parmesan cheese over a bowl of the finished Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce.

A rich and flavorful pasta dish featuring penne and shrimp in a savory herbed cream sauce. The recipe starts by quickly sautéing shrimp with garlic and red pepper flakes. A creamy sauce is then built in the same skillet using canned tomatoes, white wine, clam juice, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, infused with fresh basil and parsley. The cooked pasta and shrimp are tossed together in the sauce for a complete and elegant main course.

  • Author: Evelyn
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 46 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Sautéing, Boiling, Simmering
  • Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/3 cup clam juice
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the shrimp, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper to the hot skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
  4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
  5. To the same skillet, add the chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup of basil, 1/4 cup of parsley, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  6. Pour in the white wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, until it has thickened.
  8. Stir in 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining fresh herbs.
  9. Toss everything together until all ingredients are coated in the sauce. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
  10. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Cooking the pasta ‘al dente’ is recommended, as it will absorb some of the sauce without becoming mushy.
  • Removing the shrimp after the initial sauté and adding them back at the end is a key technique to prevent them from overcooking and becoming tough.
  • Using the same skillet to build the sauce after cooking the shrimp incorporates the flavorful browned bits into the final dish.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
  • Calories: 650-750
  • Sugar: 6-9 g
  • Sodium: 800-1000 mg
  • Fat: 30-38 g
  • Saturated Fat: 15-20 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 55-65 g
  • Fiber: 4-6 g
  • Protein: 30-35 g
  • Cholesterol: 200-250 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

For more recipe follow my Pinterest account

Conclusion: A Taste of Elegance, Made Easy

This Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce is a perfect example of how classic techniques can transform simple ingredients into a truly spectacular meal. It’s a rich, satisfying, and deeply flavorful dish that is fast enough for a weeknight but special enough to impress any dinner guest. This is a recipe that will give you the confidence to create restaurant-quality pasta in your own kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

My sauce is oily and seems separated. What did I do wrong?

This can happen if the cream gets too hot and boils too rapidly, or if the cheese is added over high heat. The secret to fixing a “broken” sauce is often the starchy pasta water. Whisking in a few tablespoons of the hot pasta water can help bring the fats and liquids back together into a creamy emulsion.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, absolutely. For the best results, make sure the frozen shrimp are completely thawed first. You can do this by leaving them in the refrigerator overnight or by running them under cold water. Pat them very dry with a paper towel before adding them to the hot pan.

What other kind of pasta can I use for this Shrimp Pasta with Cream Sauce?

While penne is great, this sauce would also be fantastic with other shapes like linguine, fettuccine, rigatoni, or fusilli.