This super easy Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo Pasta recipe takes just 20 minutes and a few simple ingredients, including fresh veggies, garlic, and cream cheese for a rich, tangy sauce. Creamy alfredo pasta with shrimp is always a winning weeknight dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a lot to love about this broccoli shrimp alfredo pasta recipe, including:
- You need just 20 minutes to pull this impressive dish together! Talk about fast.
- The shrimp stay juicy, plump, and tender, and the broccoli is bright and crisp, for a fresh-tasting pasta, just like our Easy Chicken Pesto Pasta.
- You can use many ingredient swaps, including a different kind of protein (maybe chicken) if you don’t have everything on hand, just check out the list below.
- This dish is great for a weeknight, just complete the meal with a fresh Bacon Avocado Greek Salad.
What Goes into This Easy Alfredo Pasta Recipe
Here’s what you need to make this easy alfredo pasta recipe:
- Pasta. We use Maccheroni, but any short-cut type works well.
- Butter. You can also use ghee or clarified butter.
- Shrimp. I recommend using large peeled and deveined shrimp. Smaller shrimp will cook faster.
- Garlic. Use the fresh stuff for the best flavor.
- Milk. I use unsweetened almond milk, but any kind of milk will work.
- Cream cheese. Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor.
- Nutmeg. This adds just a touch of warming flavor to tie everything together.
- Parmesan. I recommend using finely grated or ground cheese.
- Broccoli. Be sure to cut your broccoli into even bite-sized pieces.
- Salt and pepper. To season the dish from the inside out.
Ingredient Swaps
Not to worry if you don’t have every ingredient on the list, here are some easy swaps that work well:
- Use any of your favorite short-cut pasta, such as bow tie, fusilli, tubetti, or penne.
- You can substitute the milk with heavy cream if desired for a richer sauce.
- Try swapping broccoli for cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, or any other veggie you love.
How to Make Creamy Alfredo Pasta with Shrimp
This 15-minute creamy alfredo pasta with shrimp couldn’t be easier.
Start by cooking the pasta according to the package directions. Before draining the pasta, remove about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to use later. While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the shrimp and garlic and cook them, stirring, until the shrimp is pink and curled into a “C” shape. Set the cooked shrimp on a plate, off of the heat to avoid overcooking.
Now you’re ready to make the alfredo sauce. In the same skillet, combine the milk, cream cheese, nutmeg, parmesan, and reserved pasta water. Whisk everything together until the sauce is smooth and starts to simmer.
Then turn the heat to a low and stir in the broccoli. Simmer the broccoli for four to five minutes, or until the florets are bright and crisp-tender (the cooking time will vary depending on your desired texture and size of the florets).
Finally, turn off the heat and stir in the cooked pasta and shrimp to coat them in the sauce. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Then serve with parsley and hot pepper flakes if you like.
Enjoy your delicious creamy alfredo pasta with shrimp!
FAQs
Almost any kind would work for this recipe. I would either choose linguine or a short-cut type. I love the latter because the sauce makes its way into the nooks and crannies and transforms it into a flavorful cushion.
I love my no-flour, no-heavy cream alfredo sauce recipe. It’s pretty simple and needs just fresh garlic, milk, cream cheese, nutmeg, parmesan, and reserved pasta water. You first sauté the garlic, then add in all the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Can’t get easier than that!
Simply swap the noodles for your favorite gluten-free variety.
To make this alfredo lower in fat, use low-fat cream cheese and skim milk.
Ground nutmeg tastes great with cheese, it rounds the alfredo sauce with nutty and subtly sweet flavors.
I’ve found that the best ratio is 2:1, so for every 2 cups of cooked pasta, there’s 1 cup of sauce.
I love to serve it with boiled corn on the cob or a Mexican street corn salad.
Go for it if you need a quick fix. Just make sure you find a good quality jarred sauce within your budget. Cook the shrimp, then stir in the alfredo sauce, reserved pasta water, and broccoli. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, then add the pasta.
How do you know if the shrimp is cooked?
Shrimp is cooked when it’s curled, pink and opaque. It will take no more than 3-5 minutes to cook, depending on its size.
Yes, but defrost by keeping it in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and pat dry before cooking it.
Yes, always. You can defrost it in the fridge overnight, or in a bowl of cold running water for an hour or so. Shrimp cooked from frozen will not cook properly and become chewy.
Store leftovers after cooling in single-serving glass containers, so it’s easy to reheat straight from the container.
Then to reheat, use the microwave or oven to reheat to your liking.
I don’t recommend storing this for longer than 3 days.
NO, please don’t do that. You can make the shrimp alfredo and broccoli sauce and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Then simply reheat the sauce, cook the pasta in salted water, then combine them. YUM
Expert Tips
This creamy alfredo pasta with shrimp is best served immediately. That’s because the sauce will thicken as the pasta sits, and will lose its silky texture.
After draining the pasta, run it under very cold water for about 30 seconds, then toss it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the pot. I like to do this because it stops the cooking process to ensure that it’s cooked to al-dente and the noodles won’t stick to each other.
In addition, it’s very important to cut your broccoli into equal-sized florets. Otherwise, they won’t cook at the same rate.
You’ll also want to be sure to stir the sauce well until it comes together. Otherwise, your sauce can separate.
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Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 8 oz (226g) Macaroni pasta
- 2 tbsp (28g) ghee - or butter
- 1 lb (453g) raw shrimp - large-size, peeled and deveined
- 3-4 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1/2 cup (120ml) almond milk
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup (25g) Parmesan cheese - ground
- 1 medium head broccoli - broken into bite-sized florets
- Sea salt and ground pepper - to taste
- chopped parsley - to garnish
- chilli flakes (optional) - to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Once the pasta is cooked to al-dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, melt the ghee or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and chopped garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Set aside the cooked shrimp.
- In the same skillet, make the Alfredo sauce.
- Add the milk, cream cheese, nutmeg, parmesan and reserved pasta water. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to a low and stir in the broccoli florets. Allow the broccoli to simmer in the sauce for 4-5 minutes, or until just tender (cooking time may vary depending on your desired texture and size of the florets).
- Once the broccoli is done to your liking, turn off the heat.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and shrimp. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and a pinch of fresh ground pepper or chili flakes.
- Serve the pasta immediately!
Recipe Notes
- You can use another short-cut pasta for this dish if you like, such as shells or bowties.
- It’s very important to save some of your pasta water before draining the noodles. You’ll need it to create a smooth, silky sauce that coats the pasta.
- You’ll know your shrimp is done cooking when it turns pink and opaque, and curls into a “c” shape.
- Be sure to cut the broccoli florets into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- After draining the pasta, run it under very cold water for about 30 seconds, then toss it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the pot. I like to do this because it stops the cooking process to ensure that it’s cooked to al-dente and the noodles won’t stick to each other.
- This Creamy alfredo pasta with shrimp is best served hot out of the skillet.
Nutrition
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