Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo (2024)

Shrimp fettuccine alfredo makes an easy weeknight meal - it's ready in just 30 minutes and prepared in a single pan. Fettuccine noodles and tender shrimp are coated in a creamy homemade alfredo sauce.

You'll be surprised at how easy this shrimp fettuccine alfredo comes together. It's made in a single pan and has the most creamy and cheesy alfredo sauce. What's not to love?

All you need is a sauté pan and a few simple pantry ingredients to get started. If making a homemade alfredo sauce sounds intimidating, don't worry. It's surprisingly easy and you'll never go back to the jarred stuff again!

While shrimp alfredo makes a hearty meal on its own, it can be served with cheesy garlic bread and a garden salad to stretch the servings even further.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Butter - Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter (cut the listed salt in half).
• Shrimp - I recommend large peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe, but any size shrimp will work. Take care not to overcook smaller shrimp and remove them from the pan once they look opaque and the tail curls slightly into a "c" shape.
• Broth- Chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth or seafood broth if desired. I don't recommend using low or no sodium broth because it adds a significant amount of flavor to the sauce.
• Cheese- I suggest freshly shredding your parmesan cheese for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheeses or cheese in a canister often contains anti-clumping powders that get grainy when melted (or don't melt properly at all).
• Garlic- I recommend freshly minced garlic for best flavor. Two cloves of garlic can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
• Seasoning- Salt, pepper, and a small amount of nutmeg create a classic alfredo flavor. I don't recommend omitting these ingredients for best results.
• Whole milk- I recommend whole milk because the higher fat content helps prevent your sauce from breaking and adds a creamy texture to the sauce.
• Heavy cream- Adds a rich, creamy texture to the sauce.

Tips and tricks

Cooking shrimp - Shrimp cook quickly and only need a minute or two on each side before they're cooked through. A few telltale signs that your shrimp are done cooking? Their color turns opaque and they curl slightly into a "c" shape. Overcooked shrimp curl tightly into a ball and have a rubbery texture.

Measure pasta and liquid accurately- The most important part about this recipe is measuring your pasta and liquid ingredients exactly. Because your pasta is cooked in the same pan as the rest of your ingredients, it is important to use the exact amount of liquid needed to cook that pasta. If too much liquid is added, you'll be left with a runny sauce. If too little liquid is added, your pasta and other ingredients will get dry, stick to the bottom of the pan, and potentially burn.

Ingredients sticking to the pan?- Turn the heat down and add a splash of water, your stove is a little too hot.

Sauce runny?- After cooking your skillet meal, remove it from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Your sauce will continue to thicken as it stands.

Use freshly grated cheese- Use parmesan cheese that's grated fresh from a block for best flavor and texture. Pre-grated cheeses (including cheese in a canister) are often coated in anti-clumping powders that add a grainy texture to your meal when melted.

Frequently asked questions

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