Shrimp Alfredo
This creamy Shrimp Alfredo with broccoli is a restaurant-worthy fettuccine alfredo for two made with juicy shrimp, tender broccoli, and a homemade Alfredo sauce. Ready in under an hour!
With Valentine’s Day coming up, romantic dinners for two don’t have to be fancy or involve extravagant ingredients.
Take this Shrimp Alfredo for example. It feels indulgent and luxurious thanks to the juicy shrimp and homemade Alfredo sauce yet it’s still comforting and familiar.
Growing up, eating seafood was always reserved for special occasions as it’s not the most affordable protein to buy like chicken is.
That’s why I often associate shrimp with easy date night recipes.
Of course it’s not just reserved for February. I often make this shrimp alfredo recipe for family on Christmas Eve as part of the Feast of Seven Fishes.
So what exactly is fettuccine alfredo? It’s a rich and hearty pasta dish tossed with a creamy Parmesan sauce and often includes a protein such as chicken or shrimp.
It’s very similar to my alfredo mac and cheese but uses fettuccine instead of cavatappi.
It’s also faster than making alfredo stuffed shells if you’re short on time.
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
- Very versatile – Not a fan of shrimp? Use chicken, salmon, or sausage instead. Or leave out the meat altogether and add mushrooms (or extra broccoli) for a vegetarian alfredo.
- Minimal leftovers – This creamy shrimp pasta makes 8 ounces of pasta or roughly 4 servings. That’s two helpings per person or leftovers for lunch the next day.
- Quick and easy – You can easily make shrimp and broccoli alfredo as a weeknight dinner (especially if you buy already peeled shrimp)
Ingredients For Shrimp Alfredo
To make your recipe for shrimp alfredo, here’s what you need:
- Fettuccine: As the name suggests, fettuccine is the most common pasta used for Alfredo sauce. However, you can easily use linguine, elbow macaroni, or even cavatappi.
- Broccoli: Use fresh or frozen broccoli chopped into bite-sized pieces
- Vegetable oil: Used to pan fry the shrimp
- Shrimp: Use medium or large shrimp so they remain juicy after cooking. I personally buy already-peeled raw shrimp with tails removed to make prep easier.
- Butter: The fat needed for the homemade Alfredo sauce
- Onion and garlic: Aromatics that add more depth of flavor to the dish
- Heavy cream: Thickens the sauce without flour due to the required fat content. Do not substitute milk.
- Parmesan cheese: Use imported Parmigiano Reggiano if your budget allows it (more on that below)
- Lemon juice: Acidity that cuts through all that heavy richness.
- Salt and pepper: You won’t need to add as much thanks to the Parmesan (a naturally salty ingredient), but you will still need some. The black pepper also adds a touch of spiciness.
Best Type Of Parmesan Cheese For Fettuccine Alfredo
Not all Parmesan cheeses are created equal.
Ideally for the best shrimp fettuccine alfredo you want to use Parmigiano Reggiano, which has the iconic rind on it with the holes that spell out its name. It’s imported exclusively from Italy and made with only milk, salt, and rennet.
However it’s pricier than domestic Parmesan, which usually contains additives. And then you have the grated Parmesan in the green can.
Depending on budget I don’t always splurge for the good stuff. That’s why I tested my Shrimp alfredo pasta with each type of Parmesan so you can make it with both imported and domestic Parmesan.
In theory you can also make it with the cheese in the green can but it doesn’t melt as well. It also has a different volume, so use half of the amount called for, taste, then add more as needed.
How To Make Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Only a few steps needed to make your fettuccine alfredo with shrimp:
- Boil a large pot of salted water then cook the pasta and broccoli.
- Fry shrimp in skillet. Transfer to a bowl to finish making the sauce in the skillet.
- Melt butter then fry onion and garlic until softened.
- Whisk in the cream and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, black pepper, and additional salt if needed.
- Toss together sauce, shrimp, cooked pasta, and broccoli.
Refrigerate leftover shrimp and pasta alfredo for up to 3 days.
What To Serve With Shrimp Alfredo
Since fettuccine alfredo with shrimp is a rich yet comforting dinner for two, you’ll want to pair it with a vegetable side dish, such as green onion salad or green beans with almonds.
Really love seafood? Serve it with an appetizer of steamed clams.
It’s also pretty common to serve pasta with small batch dinner rolls.
For dessert, you can stick with the Italian theme and serve tiramisu for two (bonus points for being able to make it ahead of time!).
Or go with a more traditional dessert for two with homemade chocolate mousse, mini lava cakes, or brownies for two.
More Shrimp Recipes
If you’re enjoyed this shrimp broccoli alfredo, you’ll also enjoy these other shrimp recipes:
Shrimp Alfredo
This creamy Shrimp Alfredo with broccoli is a restaurant-worthy fettuccine alfredo for two made with juicy shrimp, tender broccoli, and a homemade Alfredo sauce. Ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) uncooked fettuccine
- 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen broccoli
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 6 ounces medium or large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or 2 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup white or yellow onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy whipped cream, room temperature (do not substitute milk)
- 1 + 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (*see Note about cheese type)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a big handful of salt then add the pasta. Cook as directed on the package until al dente, about 9-11 minutes. During the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli to the boiling water. Drain into a colander.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes or until brown then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes or until shrimp are fully pink and curled. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
- In the same skillet (no need to clean), melt the butter, scraping up any brown bits left behind. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the cream. Bring to a boil then immediately turn the heat down to a simmer. Whisk in the cheese then cook until melted and sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
I like to pull the sauce before it's fully done because it'll thicken as it cools. If your sauce gets too thick, stir in more cream. - Remove from the heat then stir in the lemon juice and a big pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning. If it tastes bland, it's not salty enough so add more cheese or kosher salt.
- Toss together the pasta and broccoli, shrimp, and sauce then serve immediately.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Parmigiano Reggiano is imported and has the iconic rind with the holes that spell out its name. It's preferred but you can easily use domestic Parmesan. Both will need to be grated by hand.
In a pinch you can use grated Parmesan from the green can, but it doesn't melt as well and can leave your sauce a little gritty. If you use use this, start with half the amount, taste, then add more as needed. - If you enjoyed this recipe, check out Alfredo Mac and Cheese and Alfredo Stuffed Shells.
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