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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.

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

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/shrimp-pasta-with-cream-sauce/