Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Mushrooms in a homemade alfredo sauce. The creamy pasta sauce is made with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese, garlic, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika.
One of the bests ways to cook and eat shrimp is in a luscious creamy sauce with pasta! Some of my favorites are creamy mozzarella shrimp pasta and spicy shrimp pasta with tomato cream sauce.
And, don't forget mushrooms - they go amazingly well with shrimp, as in this pesto shrimp mushroom pasta!
How to make creamy shrimp pasta
1) First, saute shrimp in olive oil, garlic, basil, and paprika.
2) Then, remove the shrimp from the skillet and in the same pan saute some mushrooms.
3) Add cooked shrimp to the skillet with mushrooms.
4) Next, make creamy shrimp pasta sauce. To the skillet with cooked shrimp and the mushrooms, add half-and-half, cheeses, more spices while the sauce simmers. Simmer the sauce, stirring, until the sauce thickens.
5) Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with shrimp, mushrooms, and the cream sauce. Reheat on medium heat. Stir well.
How to thicken or to thin out the cream sauce?
- To make the cream sauce thicker, add more cheese, while liquids are hot.
- To make the cream sauce thinner, add reserved warm pasta water (from cooking pasta).
Gluten-Free Friendly Recipe
I've also made this creamy shrimp pasta with gluten-free pasta (I used brown rice fettuccine) - and it was wonderfully delicious! The gluten-free pasta had the perfect texture for this kind of sauce.
Other creamy shrimp pasta recipes:
Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 8 oz fettuccine pasta (for gluten free version, use gluten free brown rice pasta)
- ½ cup cooked pasta water (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb shrimp (10 big shrimp or 20 small shrimp without shells, deveined)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 oz mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
Cook pasta
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain. Reserve some of the pasta water.
How to cook shrimp
- Heat a large skillet until hot - add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and immediately add garlic and shrimp.
- Cook on one side for about 1 minute until pink, on medium-high heat.
- Flip the shrimp to the other side. Sprinkle the top of the cooked side of shrimp with dry basil, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, occasionally stirring, until shrimp is pink on both sides.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet. If shrimp is a little undercooked - it's OK because you will continue cooking it in the sauce.
How to cook mushrooms
- To the same, now empty, skillet, add sliced mushrooms. Add more olive oil if necessary.
- Cook on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms become soft and release juices. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt midway through cooking.
How to make creamy sauce
- To the skillet with mushrooms, add cooked shrimp. Immediately add 1 cup half-and-half. Bring to boil.
- Add half the cheese (½ cup). Bring to boil, and immediately reduce to medium-simmer. Cook, constantly stirring, until the cheese melts.
- Gradually start adding the remaining cheese (½ cup), while stirring. Do not add all of the remaining ½ cup of cheese at once. Add just enough for the sauce to get creamy without getting too thick. You might not use all of the remaining cheese.
- Remove from heat. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
- Add cooked and drained pasta from step 1 to the skillet with shrimp and mushrooms and cream sauce. Reheat on medium heat. Stir well.
- If the cream sauce is too thick and you want it thinner - add some pasta water in small amounts to the cream sauce (while the sauce is simmering on low-medium heat) until you reach desired consistency.
- Season with more salt and add more crushed red pepper flakes and basil, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I followed the recipe the first time I made it a few weeks ago. It was so good! Just finished making it again tonight. I tossed in some cuts of asparagus. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you ❤️
Jean, thank you for taking the time share such a positive comment! ❤️ Love the addition of asparagus!
I really like the flavor, but my mozzarella would not melt into the sauce. It just made big rubbery globs, no matter how much I stirred. What could I have done wrong?
Here are Four of the things which may cause this:
1.) Putting the cheese in the pan first.
2.)heat not high enough and not enough Oil/Milk to get it to melt.
3.) Cheap & Old American Mozzarella Cheese. You don't have to spend a lot on your mozzarella, but a step or two up from the cheapest of the cheap is a good starting point. Also, make sure it's sealed. Also, While it will keep in the fridge and be yummy, for best melting results, use it within a week of buying.
Otherwise, if you really want to punch up the flavor and results.... use Fresh Italian Mozzarella.
Great points - love it!
Belinda, here are my tips:
➡️ Use Mozzarella cheese labeled as part-skim, low-moisture. It usually comes in pre-shredded bags or as a rectangular block that you shred yourself. Do not use fresh Mozzarella that is soft.
➡️ Make sure Mozzarella is at room temperature. Should be out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you use it.
➡️ Do not add all the cheese at once. Sprinkle half of the amount across the whole pan - don't just dump it in one spot.
➡️ Stir, while the sauce boils on the lowest setting. But it should be boiling. Otherwise there is not enough heat.
You didn’t do anything wrong. Just use mozzarella that you shred yourself. It works perfectly.
I ve made this many times. It s delicious. Sometimes I add scallops too
Scallops are delicious in this sauce!
Sauce etc tasted good, but never came together. I used fresh rather than shredded mozzarella which may have been the problem. Generally quite tasty, but sometimes I don't have good luck with sauces.
Tom, yes fresh Mozzarella is the culprit. And, here are some other tips you will find helpful
here are my tips:
➡️ Use Mozzarella cheese labeled as part-skim, low-moisture. It usually comes in pre-shredded bags or as a rectangular block that you shred yourself. Do not use fresh Mozzarella that is soft.
➡️ Make sure Mozzarella is at room temperature. Should be out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you use it.
➡️ Do not add all the cheese at once. Sprinkle half of the amount across the whole pan - don't just dump it in one spot.
➡️ Stir, while the sauce boils on the lowest setting. But it should be boiling. Otherwise there is not enough heat.
Frresh mozzerella worked perfectly for me!
Sm, good to know fresh mozzarella worked great!
Very easy to make and absolutely delicious! Definitely making this again.
Lara, so glad you enjoyed this dish! Thank you for the 5-star review! ❤️
Quick and tasty dinner! I didn't have mozzarella cheese, so shredded some pepper jack cheese, then increased the parmesan to about 1 1/2 cups, because I like it cheesy. It turned out great! Thanks for the recipe.
Helen, I am so glad the recipe turned out well! Pepper jack cheese is a great choice!
I’m not sure 8 0z of pasta will serve four people. Should I use a white lb of pasta or double the sauce???
You can double the amount of pasta and keep the sauce the same. Might have to add a little bit of heavy cream to make more of it and more seasonings since there will be more pasta.
Day 1 this is awesome. Leftovers the next day though not so much. For some reason the oil separated in the sauce and I couldn't get it to meld back together. I put it on the stove top on medium to reheat. Where did I go wrong?
Melissa, cheese-based creamy sauces don't reheat well at all. If you do have leftovers, I would reheat on lower heat and add extra milk or cream to thin out the sauce.
Super easy to make and delicious!
Thank you for sharing
Sharon, I am really happy you loved this recipe. Thank you for the 5-star review! 🙂
This was wonderful!! I will definitely make again
Marie, I am so glad you liked it! Thank you for the comment and 5 stars! 🙂
This is far best I've tried and keep doing this recipe.. I do add a jar of chilli pesto sauce and it yummy if you like a little kick.
Kim, so glad to hear you've enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 Love the addition of chili pesto sauce!
This was absolutely delicious! The cheese stuck to the bottom of the pan though making it a chore to clean.
Liz, I am glad you enjoyed the recipe! Here are some troubleshooting tips for the future:
1) Next time, try using heavy cream instead of half-and-half. Sometimes, the sauce will not turn creamy when there is not enough fat in the sauce.
2) Make sure the cheese is at room temperature. Before you start making the recipe, take the amount you need out of the fridge, shred it, and set it out on the counter to warm up. Just bring the cheese to room temperature before adding it to the sauce. This is important to make sure the cheese is not refrigerator cold.
3) Bring the sauce to a stable simmer (but not boiling violently) for about 3 minutes before adding cheese - this is done to warm everything up. Then, scatter the shredded cheese (use only half of it) in a thin layer evenly all over the sauce across the whole cooking pan surface (don't just dump the cheese in one spot). Then, stir it in on a low simmer, slowly, and patiently until it melts. Do not let the sauce violently boil - just gently boil (simmer). Add the remaining cheese in a similar fashion if the sauce is still thin.
This was delicious! I cooked the shrimp, took them out and did not add them in until the end, and they were perfect.
I added a little white wine to the mushrooms. Added some precooked crumbled hot sausage. I had some heavy cream, so I used less than I cup. I also added 3 T. of pesto, cause I ran out of basil.
I also added a cup of baby spinach.
I used Tinkyada organic gluten free brown rice fettuccini,cause my husband has celiac disease.
The dinner was amazing, but rich, and and a salad balances out the pasta perfectly!
I did not save any pasta water, but added chicken broth to the leftovers.
Thank you for the recipe-will definitely make it again!
Kerry, thank you for this wonderful feedback! I love your delicious additions, especially crumbled hot sausage and spinach! Everything you've added sounds so good - thank you for sharing that - I am sure other readers will try some of your ideas!
I have made this before but not for a long time. I remember it being great so trying again. I see in the pictures it has green onions...how come that is not in the recipe? Would you recommend? Thanks
Jamie, I just used green onions as garnish - they are not really necessary. You can use chopped green onions, chopped chives, or chopped fresh basil as garnish.
I made this recipe for my husband. I’m not a seafood lover.
I added a few scallops, a bit of spinach and replaced paprika with a hot paprika. He really enjoyed it.
Thank you
Joanne, I am so glad your husband enjoyed this recipe! I love the addition of scallops - so yummy!
For some reason my sauce curdled a bit. I think it was the mozzarella! It tasted good but could have been smoother.
Jule
Jule,
Here are some troubleshooting tips:
1) Next time, try using heavy cream instead of half-and-half. Sometimes, the sauce will not turn creamy when there is not enough fat in the sauce.
2) Make sure the cheese is at room temperature. Before you start making the recipe, take the amount you need out of the fridge, shred it, and set it out on the counter to warm up. Just bring the cheese to room temperature before adding it to the sauce. This is important to make sure the cheese is not refrigerator cold.
3) Bring the sauce to a stable simmer (but not boiling violently) for about 3 minutes before adding cheese - this is done to warm everything up. Then, scatter the shredded cheese (use only half of it) in a thin layer evenly all over the sauce across the whole cooking pan surface (don't just dump the cheese in one spot). Then, stir it in on a low simmer, slowly, and patiently until it melts. Do not let the sauce violently boil - just gently boil (simmer). Add the remaining cheese in a similar fashion if the sauce is still thin.
I just made this and it is amazing, I did make some changes due to my diabetes diet and added zucchini noodles in place of regular pasta and added some sliced pepperoni as well, but it’s super delicious even before the pepperoni was added
Mike, I love that you used zucchini noodles and added pepperoni - sounds delish! Thank you for sharing those ideas! 🙂