Cheesy Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Here is my favorite shrimp fettuccine alfredo recipe, with tender shrimp, a creamy homemade alfredo sauce made with butter, cream cheese, and freshly grated parmesan, and plenty of garlic.

This pasta is what I make when I want something that feels fancy but comes together in about 30 minutes. My kids actually request this for their birthdays instead of going out to a restaurant, which I think says it all!

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this fettuccine alfredo, you can use either fresh or frozen shrimp – just make sure frozen shrimp is fully thawed before cooking. I’d recommend going with medium to large shrimp (around 26-30 count per pound) since they’re easier to work with and won’t get lost in all that creamy pasta. You can buy them already peeled and deveined to save yourself some prep time, or if you’re feeling ambitious, buy them shell-on for a bit more flavor. Just avoid the tiny salad shrimp for this recipe, as they tend to overcook quickly and can get rubbery in a hot pasta dish.

Options for Substitutions

This creamy pasta dish is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Shrimp: You can easily swap shrimp for chicken breast, scallops, or even lobster if you’re feeling fancy. For chicken, make sure to cook it through completely before adding it to the sauce.
• Fettuccine: Any long pasta works great here – try linguine, pappardelle, or even spaghetti. The sauce will coat them all nicely.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half can work if you want something lighter, though your sauce won’t be quite as thick. You can also use whole milk, but you’ll need to add an extra tablespoon of cream cheese to help it thicken up.
• Cream cheese: If you don’t have cream cheese, you can use an extra 1/4 cup of heavy cream and increase the parmesan by 1/4 cup for thickness.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth or even white wine works well here. If using wine, you might want to let it simmer a bit longer to cook off the alcohol.
• Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan is really important for this recipe – the pre-shredded stuff doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make your sauce grainy, so try to stick with the real deal here.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking shrimp is the biggest mistake you can make with this dish – they only need 2-3 minutes per side until they turn pink and slightly curl, so add them to the sauce when it’s almost done rather than cooking them for the full 5-6 minutes listed.

Another common error is adding the parmesan to sauce that’s too hot, which can cause it to clump instead of melting smoothly – remove the skillet from direct heat and stir in the cheese gradually while the sauce is warm but not boiling.

Don’t forget to save at least a cup of pasta water before draining your fettuccine, as this starchy liquid is perfect for loosening up the sauce if it gets too thick when you combine everything together.

Finally, make sure your cream cheese is fully softened before adding it to the pan, or you’ll end up with lumps in your sauce that are hard to smooth out once everything is cooking.

What to Serve With Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo?

Since this pasta is pretty rich and creamy, I like to balance it out with something fresh and light on the side. A simple Caesar salad or mixed greens with a lemon vinaigrette cuts through all that cream and makes the meal feel complete. Garlic bread is always a good call too – you can use it to scoop up any extra alfredo sauce left on your plate. If you want to add more veggies to the meal, roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli work really well with the garlic and parmesan flavors already in the dish.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover shrimp fettuccine alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce might thicken up a bit as it sits, but that’s totally normal with cream-based pasta dishes.

Freeze: I usually don’t recommend freezing this one since cream sauces can separate and get a little grainy when thawed. If you do freeze it, it’ll keep for about a month, but the texture won’t be quite the same as fresh.

Reheat: Warm it up gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of cream or chicken broth to loosen the sauce. Stir frequently so the shrimp doesn’t get rubbery. You can also microwave it on medium power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one until it’s heated through.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 100-115 g
• Fat: 100-115 g
• Carbohydrates: 115-130 g

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 8 oz fettuccine (I always use Barilla for the best al dente texture)
• salt

For the shrimp and sauce:

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails removed)
• 3 tbsp butter (I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature to prevent clumping)
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup parmesan (freshly grated from a wedge for a smoother melt)
• pepper
• pinch of nutmeg

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients and Start Pasta Water

• 1 lb shrimp
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup parmesan
• 4 oz cream cheese
• salt

Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil—this will be your pasta water.

While waiting for the water to boil, peel and devein the shrimp if not already done, removing the tails and patting them dry with paper towels (this helps them brown better).

Mince the garlic, grate the parmesan from a fresh wedge (freshly grated melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded), and remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator to soften to room temperature—this prevents lumps when stirred into the warm sauce.

Step 2: Cook Pasta to Al Dente

• 8 oz fettuccine

Once the salted water is at a rolling boil, add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until it reaches al dente texture (usually 9-10 minutes).

I always use Barilla because it consistently delivers that perfect al dente bite without turning mushy.

Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid is essential for adjusting the sauce consistency later.

Step 3: Build the Alfredo Sauce Base

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant—don’t let it brown or it will become bitter.

Add the softened cream cheese, cream, and chicken broth, stirring constantly to combine.

I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this sauce because its rich, cultured flavor makes a noticeable difference in the final result.

Step 4: Thicken Sauce and Add Cheese

• 1 cup parmesan
• pinch of nutmeg
• salt
• pepper

Continue stirring the sauce mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly as the cream cheese fully melts and the flavors meld together.

Remove from heat and stir in the freshly grated parmesan, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

The residual heat will melt the cheese smoothly—cooking it further can cause the sauce to break or become grainy.

Step 5: Sear Shrimp and Finish Sauce

• 1 lb shrimp
• sauce from Step 4

Return the skillet to medium-high heat.

Add the dried shrimp to the sauce and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and opaque throughout.

If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water—it should coat the pasta but not be overly runny.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Step 6: Combine and Serve

• fettuccine from Step 2
• shrimp and sauce from Step 5

Add the drained fettuccine from Step 2 directly to the skillet with the shrimp and sauce, tossing gently to coat every strand.

If needed, add more reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach your desired sauce consistency.

Divide among serving bowls and serve immediately while hot.

Cheesy Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Delicious Cheesy Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1900 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pasta::

• 8 oz fettuccine (I always use Barilla for the best al dente texture)
• salt

For the shrimp and sauce::

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails removed)
• 3 tbsp butter (I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature to prevent clumping)
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup parmesan (freshly grated from a wedge for a smoother melt)
• pepper
• pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

 

• Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil—this will be your pasta water. While waiting for the water to boil, peel and devein the shrimp if not already done, removing the tails and patting them dry with paper towels (this helps them brown better). Mince the garlic, grate the parmesan from a fresh wedge (freshly grated melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded), and remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator to soften to room temperature—this prevents lumps when stirred into the warm sauce.
• Once the salted water is at a rolling boil, add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until it reaches al dente texture (usually 9-10 minutes). I always use Barilla because it consistently delivers that perfect al dente bite without turning mushy. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid is essential for adjusting the sauce consistency later.
• While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant—don't let it brown or it will become bitter. Add the softened cream cheese, cream, and chicken broth, stirring constantly to combine. I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this sauce because its rich, cultured flavor makes a noticeable difference in the final result.
• Continue stirring the sauce mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly as the cream cheese fully melts and the flavors meld together. Remove from heat and stir in the freshly grated parmesan, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. The residual heat will melt the cheese smoothly—cooking it further can cause the sauce to break or become grainy.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the dried shrimp to the sauce and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and opaque throughout. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water—it should coat the pasta but not be overly runny. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Add the drained fettuccine from Step 2 directly to the skillet with the shrimp and sauce, tossing gently to coat every strand. If needed, add more reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach your desired sauce consistency. Divide among serving bowls and serve immediately while hot.