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This classic Shrimp Alfredo is one of those dishes that feels ultra luxe and fancy. But it’s actually a simple combination of juicy shrimp and gluten-free pasta in a decadent creamy sauce. With this simple recipe, you’ll have a rich and satisfying meal in less than 30 minutes. It’s just as good for a weeknight dinner as it is for a special occasion.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Italian
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Nut-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Who doesn’t love a hearty pasta dish? I certainly do! Make it gluten-free and you’ve really got my attention. My version stays very true to the original preparation, with all of the tender shrimp, butter, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream that makes it taste so good! Only I make it gluten free with GF fettuccine noodles.
It’s so easy to indulge yourself in a special meal. Here are a few reasons why you should make this shrimp alfredo pasta:
- Easy to make gluten-free. As noted, this is an easy dish to make gluten-free! Shrimp alfredo is typically made with fettuccine noodles – so just swap in gluten-free fettuccine noodles to make gluten-free shrimp alfredo. The other ingredients needed are naturally gluten-free.
- Short ingredients list. You need less than 10 ingredients to put together this recipe! They all come together to create something truly amazing!
- Rich and decadent. Go ahead – treat yourself! If you already enjoy fettuccine alfredo, you’re sure to love it when shrimp is added for even more texture and taste. The salty, cheesy sauce touched with cream is a perfect base for juicy shrimp.
Shrimp Alfredo Ingredients
You need less than 10 ingredients to make this sumptuous shrimp fettuccine alfredo. Check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Gluten-Free Fettuccine Noodles: You can use your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta in this recipe.
- Shrimp: I use large shrimp for this recipe. You can leave the tails on or off as you like.
- Salt and Pepper: To season the sauce.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream brings so much richness to the alfredo sauce. You can substitute half-and-half for the cream if needed.
- Nutmeg: A pinch of ground nutmeg adds an interesting flavor note.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use grated parmesan cheese for the best results.
- Parsley: For a light garnish.
How to Make Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Here’s my uncomplicated method for making shrimp alfredo. If you have any alfredo sauce stored in your freezer, this is a great way to use it (make sure to defrost it in the fridge first, of course)!
- Cook the pasta. Cook pasta according to the package instructions, reserving some of the pasta water, if desired. Keep warm.
- Then season and cook the shrimp. While the pasta is cooking, season the shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until they are pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the cream sauce base. In the same skillet over low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the heavy cream, and the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the cheese. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Heat the sauce enough to melt the cheese. Return the saucepan to low heat and bring it back just to a simmer, stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Stir in the pasta and shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and shrimp to the sauce and toss to coat thoroughly, adjusting the consistency of the sauce with reserved pasta water or additional cream, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired. Then dish out onto plates and dig in!
Tips for the Best Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo
- Make it a little lighter. If you want to make a lighter sauce, you can replace the heavy cream with 2⁄3 cup milk plus 3⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt. Add the milk to the melted butter in the skillet along with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. After adding the parmesan cheese and warming the sauce until it is smooth, remove from the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt. You’ll want to serve it immediately – don’t let the sauce come back to a simmer or the yogurt will curdle.
- Add fresh herbs. Instead of or in addition to the parsley, you can use other fresh, chopped herbs including basil or oregano.
- Use frozen shrimp. You can use frozen shrimp in this recipe if you wish. Make sure to thoroughly defrost the shrimp before proceeding with the recipe.
- Try a different size of shrimp. I typically make shrimp alfredo with large shrimp, but you can make this dish with medium or small shrimp as long as they total 12 ounces of shrimp.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shrimp Alfredo
Even when you are adding shrimp to the dish, the alfredo sauce itself sticks with the traditional combination of butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese, with a bit of salt, pepper, and nutmeg for seasoning.
Feel free to saute a little garlic or shallot in the butter, or stir in some fresh herbs like basil or oregano.
You can add more parmesan to thicken the sauce. Another option is to slurry a little cornstarch in some chicken broth or more cream, add it to the mixture, and bring it to s simmer until thickened.
You may have lowered the heat too much or you are using the wrong kind of cheese. You want to use freshly-grated parmesan or a good quality grated parmesan that doesn’t have extra fillers like cellulose that may keep it from melting properly.
You likely had the heat too high or cooked it too long, causing the water to separate from the fats. Or you may have also added the cheese too quickly. It may be fixed by whisking in a slash of water over low heat.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate: This dish is best served fresh. However, you can store leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freeze: You do not want to freeze gluten free shrimp alfredo as the sauce will separate and the noodles will become very mushy.
Reheat: To reheat, place it in a pot on the stove, spoon in a little heavy cream, and gently reheat it over low heat until heated through. You can also reheat the leftovers in a microwave-safe dish in 30-second periods in the microwave. Give the pasta a stir between each interval until hot.
What to Serve with Shrimp Alfredo
Shrimp alfredo is arguably a one-dish meal, but I like to round it out with a salad or vegetables. See my suggestions below for what to add to shrimp alfredo to make it a complete meal:
- With a salad. Serve this gluten-free pasta with a salad to add some fresh veggies. You can also try my Roasted Asparagus Salad, which would be a wonderful side to shrimp alfredo. For a salad with an Italian touch, you could try my Caprese Zoodles Salad (leave out the mozzarella if you want to keep it on the lighter side) with zucchini and tomatoes. My Greek Zoodles Salad is also wonderfully refreshing with pasta. Or, make my simple Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad!
- Don’t forget the vegetables! Broccoli and other green vegetables are great with shrimp alfredo. You can make my Air Fryer Broccoli or Air Fryer Green Beans recipes for easy vegetable sides. Oven-Roasted Asparagus is another wonderful and healthy vegetable side to serve with shrimp alfredo pasta.
- Add homemade bread. A piping hot basket of my Gluten-Free Garlic Breadsticks would make a lovely starter for shrimp alfredo. Or you can use the breadsticks to soak up the decadent sauce.
- Make tomato soup. Serve smaller portions of shrimp alfredo with a creamy bowl of Instant Pot Tomato Soup! This super flavorful tomato soup is a nice flavor balance to the seafood pasta.
Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gluten-free fettuccine noodles
- 12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on or off)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package instructions, reserving some of the pasta water, if desired. Keep warm.
- While the pasta is cooking, season the shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until they are pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet over low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the heavy cream, and the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Return the saucepan to low heat and bring it back just to a simmer, stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Add the cooked pasta and shrimp to the sauce and toss to coat thoroughly, adjusting the consistency of the sauce with reserved pasta water or additional cream, if needed. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.
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