An easy and delicious one-pot creamy garlic shrimp recipe that’s done in under 30 minutes. Serve it over pasta or spaghetti squash for a low-carb dinner.

Plump shrimp are buried in a creamy parmesan cheese sauce.

creamy garlic shrimp with parmesan in a blue enamel cast iron skillet

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What We Love About Shrimp in Garlic Cream Sauce

  • Low Carb – If you prefer to eat low carb, this recipe gives you a flavorful packed meal. One serving is only 7g of carbohydrates. The full nutrition information (including saturated fat content) is listed on the recipe card.
  • Easy recipe – Where it’s mostly just adding things to the skillet, this recipe makes getting dinner on the table super simple.
  • Gluten-free – If you’re sensitive to gluten, it fits the bill! All of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Be sure to double-check your individual ingredients.
  • One-pot – We all love to have fewer dishes to do at the end of the night, right? This entire meal comes together in one skillet.

Creamy Garlic Shrimp Recipe Ingredients

  • avocado oil – I’m not picky about brand, but usually buy Chosen Foods or HEB brand
  • shrimp – Peeled and deveined will make this even easier. If you buy frozen shrimp, be sure to thaw them first. Just be sure to buy raw shrimp and not pre-cooked.
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper -The staples in all recipes! Be sure to hit the shrimp with salt and pepper.
  • butter – Just a little bit of butter helps add flavor to the sauce.
  • garlic – The recipe calls for minced garlic. You can buy the pre-minced kind or chop it yourself. If you buy the pre-minced, the flavor is usually not as strong as fresh so you can use extra.
  • chicken broth – You can make your own or use store-bought. I like to use lower sodium varieties if I’m not making my own.
  • half & half or heavy whipping cream -You can use either of these in this recipe.
  • parmesan cheese – I like using freshly grated parmesan cheese, but for convenience pre-shredded parmesan works as well.
  • fresh herbs – Fresh parsley, basil, and oregano add extra flavor to the dish to finish it off.

What is Garlic White Sauce made of?

Garlic white sauce is a combination of butter, garlic, broth, half & half (or heavy cream), and parmesan cheese along with herbs.

ingredients for creamy garlic shrimp with parmesan

how to make creamy garlic shrimp

Detailed instructions and measurements to make creamy garlic shrimp are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

  1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp until pink (but not overdone), about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 
  2. To make the cream sauce, melt butter in the skillet and add garlic. Saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds – 1 minute). Do not burn the garlic. 
  3. Add broth to the skillet and deglaze the pan. Let it simmer and reduce by about half. 
  4. Add the half & half (or heavy cream) and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. 
  5. Add in parmesan and whisk until melted and sauce has thickened. Add in half of the parsley, half of the basil, and half of the oregano. 
  6. Add shrimp back to the sauce and sprinkle with remaining parsley, basil, and oregano along with extra grated parmesan. Serve over pasta. Our favorite is orzo!

Creamy Shrimp Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

My favorite pan to use for this recipe is this skillet. It’s deep, heavy, and enamel coated.

It has even heating and isn’t fussy with cleaning. Since it’s enamel coated, you can wash it like any other pan. It doesn’t need to be seasoned or oiled.

I usually never use a wire whisk with my pans. When whisking inside the pan, I go for a silicone whisk.

What are the best ways to thicken a cream sauce?

You can thicken your cream sauce by adding grated parmesan or cream cheese. Both result in a creamy, thick sauce.

Does any pasta go good with alfredo sauce?

What pasta you choose is a personal preference. I prefer pasta with little ridges to hold more sauce, but any pasta will do!

Can I add lemon juice to the cream sauce?

Lemon juice can cause the cream to curdle. If you add it carefully and whisk quickly, you should be fine. I don’t personally recommend it though.

What is best kind of shrimp to use for Creamy Garlic Shrimp?

If you buy your shrimp deveined and peeled, you’ll save yourself the step of having to do it. It’s tedious and not very fun.

Can frozen shrimp be used to make Creamy Shrimp with White Sauce?

To thaw your frozen shrimp quickly, let them thaw in a colander under cool, running water for a few minutes. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

creamy garlic shrimp with parmesan in an enamel cast iron skillet

substitutions

  • avocado oil – you can substitute olive oil or any other oil you prefer. I like the taste and smoke point of avocado oil the best.
  • butter – if you want to lower the calories, you can use a butter substitute.
  • chicken broth – you can actually substitute white wine in place
  • half & half – If you want to lower calories or weight watcher’s points, you can use fat-free half and half.

How to Serve Shrimp in Cream Sauce

  • pasta – you can serve this over your favorite pasta. It goes great over pappardelle.
  • spaghetti squash – for a low carb and gluten-free option, you can serve this with roasted spaghetti squash.
  • broccoli – another low-carb option would be to serve this over roasted broccoli.
  • mashed potatoes – The creamy sauce pairs so well with mashed potatoes. The buttery flavor and creamy textures are like two peas in a pod.

How to Store Shrimp with White Sauce

Refrigerator – you can store this recipe in the refrigerator in an air tight container up to 2 days.

Freezer – I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. Often times the creamy sauce develops a different texture after freezing.

how to reheat creamy garlic shrimp

I recommend reheating this in a saucepan over low heat on the stove. You want to heat it through without overcooking the shrimp. You can also add it to hot pasta and let the heat from the pasta warm the shrimp and sauce.

What goes well with garlic shrimp?

Garlic shrimp goes really well with:

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Creamy Garlic Shrimp

5 from 3 votes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
An easy and delicious one-pot creamy garlic shrimp recipe that’s done in under 30 minutes. Serve it over pasta or spaghetti squash for a low-carb dinner. Plump shrimp are buried in a creamy parmesan cheese sauce.

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, add shrimp and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook until pink (but not overdone), about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 
  • Melt butter in the skillet and add garlic. Saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds – 1 minute). Do not burn the garlic. 
  • Add broth to the skillet and deglaze the pan. Let it simmer and reduce by about half. 
  • Add the half & half (or heavy cream) and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. 
  • Add in parmesan and whisk until melted and sauce has thickened. Add in half of the parsley, half of the basil, and half of the oregano. 
  • Add shrimp back to the sauce and sprinkle with remaining parsley, basil, and oregano along with extra grated parmesan. Serve over pasta. Our favorite is orzo! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4th of recipe, Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 149mg, Sodium: 756mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish, Main Dishes
Cuisine: American

Hi! I’m Kara!

Kara loves all things food and spending time with her family and dogs. She has a passion for cooking and loves making yummy, family-friendly recipes.

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Recipe Rating




3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Absolutely Delicious and simple.
    Be sure you have the ingredients, I wouldn’t change a thing.