Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Tomato White Wine Sauce
Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Tomato White Wine Sauce is a dish that will amp up your dining game with it’s presentation, flavors and touch of heat (if you’re so inclined)! Perfect for special occasions, dinner parties, or even a cozy date night, this easy seafood pasta is all about bringing comfort and class to your table.
Why and When to Make This Recipe
Picture this…your family or guests are hit with the scent of garlic doing its thing in melted butter. That alone is enough to make anyone’s mouth water. Then, in just 30 minutes, you present a big bowl of juicy shrimp coated in a rich white wine sauce with flecks of tomato and fresh herbs, tangled up with perfectly cooked linguine. This recipe is not only for seafood lovers but also lets you play chef, adapting it to match your taste buds and dietary choices.
Turn pasta night into a standout occasion. This dish is tailor-made for those moments that call for something a bit extra. Serve it up for a hearty family dinner, at a laid-back dinner party, or set the mood for a romantic date night. If seafood is your love language, this recipe is packed with flavor and a lot of heart eye emojis! 😍
Whether you’re aiming to wow your guests or want to enjoy a seafood-infused meal, this Shrimp Linguine recipe is the answer. It’s not just food, it’s a delicious and comfort-filled experience that begs to be enjoyed on those occasions that deserve something extra special.
Gather Your Ingredients
I’ve provided substitutions next to the key ingredient to help you tailor this recipe to your needs or personal taste.
- Kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper – These staples are used throughout the recipe to season as you go to your personal taste. Feel free to use coarse sea salt instead of kosher.
- Raw shrimp – You can use frozen or fresh shrimp. (See Recipe Tips below for instructions on thawing frozen shrimp.) If it already comes peeled and deveined, bonus! I suggest medium to large shrimp for this recipe, since they shrink nearest to bite-sized once cooked. I personally prefer wild caught shrimp, but that choice is yours.
- Unsalted butter – This is used to sauté the shrimp then the garlic. Is there anything better than the smell of garlic sizzling in melted butter?!
- Fresh garlic – Four cloves of minced garlic go into the sauce. If you love garlic, feel free to include more!
- Calabrian chili – I’m a huge fan of Calabrian chilis for their smoky heat. You can find whole chilis or chili paste packed in a jar (usually in the pasta aisle). You can substitute with red pepper flakes instead, or omit the chili for a milder dish.
- Dry white wine – A sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio are great choices. Select a decent wine that you’d like to enjoy with your pasta because you’ll only use about one glass for the sauce. To make the sauce without wine, measure 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into a measuring cup then make up the difference with water or seafood stock.
- Petite diced tomatoes – One 14.5 oz can of tomatoes and the juice provide additional brightness, liquid and a pretty pink hue to the sauce.
- Linguine pasta – Feel free to use another long pasta noodle like bucatini or angel hair pasta. Follow the package directions for al dente pasta.
- Heavy cream – This is what makes it a creamy shrimp pasta! It gives the sauce some body and richness.
- Parmesan cheese – For best results, freshly grate this yourself at home. Grated and shredded cheeses from the store contain anti-caking additives that will increase the chance of your cheese clumping up. (Check out the Recipe Tips below for grating-at-home options.)
- Fresh parsley – Minced Italian parsley adds a contrasting pop of color and subtle herbal notes.
Let’s Get Cooking
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you on your way.
- Boil the pasta water – Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Season the shrimp – Toss the shrimp with kosher salt + black pepper.
- Sauté the shrimp – Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side, depending on their size. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook the shrimp in two batches if necessary. Remove to a plate.
- Start the sauce – Add the garlic and calabrian chili to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the wine and entire can of tomatoes and juice to the pan. Bring it to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes.
- Boil the pasta – While the wine-tomato mixture reduces, add pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, or al dente.
- Finish the sauce – After the wine & tomatoes have reduced down for 5 minutes, whisk in the heavy cream; then the parmesan. Season with black pepper. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste and season as needed. Return the shrimp to the pan.
- Drain the pasta + finish – Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the parsley; toss to coat. Use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce as needed.
Serve the pasta immediately with additional grated parm, if you like!
Recipe Tips For The Best Shrimp Pasta
How to thaw frozen shrimp – Overnight method: place frozen shrimp in a colander set inside a bowl and cover it; thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Quick method: submerge a sealed bag of frozen shrimp in cold water for 45 minutes; weigh it down with something to keep it under water. Once the shrimp are thawed, peel and devein them, then blot them dry with a paper towel. If you’re ahead of schedule, store the shrimp on a paper towel lined dish in the refrigerator until you’re ready to start cooking.
How to grate parmesan at home – Box grater method: use the side of the grater that has all those sharp, prickly nubbins poking out. Being mindful of your knuckles, rub the block of parmesan up and down against the grater. Machine method: cube the cheese into small chunks, then toss them into a food processor or blender and run it until the cheese is your desired texture. A fine texture is ideal for this sauce. If your cheese has a rind, like Parmigiano-Reggiano does, don’t try to grate it. Instead, freeze the rind for use in soups and other sauces. Only grate what you think you’ll use in a week for the best flavor and quality. Store grated cheese in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to scale this recipe – The full version of this recipe makes 8 modest portions that pair nicely with a green salad. That’s great for a dinner party or if you have a huge family. To make this for a date night or small family, I recommend cutting the recipe in half to save on shrimp and limit excessive leftovers. You can change the number of servings in the recipe card below, and the ingredient quantities will adjust automatically.
Mixed Seafood Pasta Variation
Turn this into a seafood pasta dish with a combination of shrimp and scallops. Substitute half of the shrimp for bay scallops or sea scallops. Either will look gorgeous when sautéed to a golden brown. To achieve this, tweak the recipe as follows:
- Cook the scallops before the shrimp.
- Heat 1 tbsp of high-heat fat (like avocado oil or ghee) with 1 tbsp of butter over medium-high heat until hot.
- Cook bay scallops for 1 minute on each side; sea scallops for 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a plate and lower the heat to medium before sautéing the shrimp.
- Proceed with the rest of the recipe as instructed.
Storing and Reheating
How to store leftover shrimp linguine – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
How to reheat leftovers – The pasta will continue to absorb sauce as it sits. And, our delicate little shrimp risk becoming rubbery if not reheated properly. The best way to reheat shrimp pasta is on the cooktop. Place the pasta in a lidded pot with a splash of milk, cream or broth and reheat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add more milk as needed. Warming it with the lid on will create a gentle steam and prevent the pasta and shrimp from drying out. With all that said, you can add milk or cream to individual portions and reheat it in the microwave in short increments until heated through. (Yes, I’ve done it…time waits for no one when you’re hungry.)
More Recipes for the Seafood Lover
- Scallops Gratin
- Crab Bruschetta
- Grilled Miso Fish Skewers
- New England Seafood Casserole
- Crispy Shrimp Sliders
- Sauteed White Fish with Broccolini + Polenta
- Grilled Pistou Salmon Salad
- Air Fryer Spicy Fish Sandwiches
- Crab Stuffed Flounder + Lemon Caper Sauce
Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Tomato White Wine Sauce
Equipment
- large pot or dutch oven, for boiling pasta
Ingredients
- kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper
- 1½ pounds wild caught shrimp, peeled, deveined + patted dry
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Calabrian chili, minced, or more to taste (sub with 1/2 tsp of Calabrian chili paste or red pepper flakes)
- ¾ cup dry white wine, like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes, do not drain (14.5 oz can)
- 16 ounce linguine pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, minced
Instructions
- Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Season the shrimp with kosher salt + black pepper.
- While you wait for the water to boil, melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side (depending on their size). Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook the shrimp in two batches if needed. Remove to a plate. Leave the pan on medium heat.
- Add the garlic and calabrian chili to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the wine and entire can of tomatoes (with liquid) to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes.
- While the wine reduces, add pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, or al dente.
- Return your attention to the skillet. After the wine & tomatoes have reduced down for 5 minutes, whisk in the heavy cream; then the parmesan. Season with black pepper. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste and season as needed. Return the shrimp to the pan.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. Add the pasta directly to the sauce along with the parsley; toss to coat. Use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce as needed.
Notes
- How to thaw frozen shrimp – Overnight method: place frozen shrimp in a colander set inside a bowl and cover it; thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Quick method: submerge a sealed bag of frozen shrimp in cold water for 45 minutes; weigh it down with something to keep it under water. Once the shrimp are thawed, peel and devein them, then blot them dry with a paper towel. If you’re ahead of schedule, store the shrimp on a paper towel lined dish in the refrigerator until you’re ready to start cooking.
- How to grate parmesan at home – Box grater method: use the side of the grater that has all those sharp, prickly nubbins poking out. Being mindful of your knuckles, rub the block of parmesan up and down against the grater. Machine method: cube the cheese into small chunks, then toss them into a food processor or blender and run it until the cheese is your desired texture. A fine texture is ideal for this sauce. If your cheese has a rind, like Parmigiano-Reggiano does, don’t try to grate it. Instead, freeze the rind for use in soups and other sauces. Only grate what you think you’ll use in a week for the best flavor and quality. Store grated cheese in an airtight container in the fridge.
- How to scale this recipe – The full version of this recipe makes 8 modest portions that pair nicely with a green salad. That’s great for a dinner party or if you have a huge family. To make this for a date night or small family, I recommend cutting the recipe in half to save on shrimp and limit excessive leftovers. You can change the number of servings in this recipe card, and the ingredient quantities will adjust automatically.
- See the full post for ingredient substitutions.
Nutrition
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