Martha Stewart Shrimp Alfredo gets its easy weeknight magic from crushed garlic and fresh lemon zest, two ingredients most cream sauces skip. Butter-seared shrimp and fettuccine swim in a parmesan cream sauce that feeds eight for a family dinner or summer get-together.
Toss the fettuccine with parmesan cream sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a rich summer pasta dinner. Pull the shrimp from the pan the second they turn pink, since even a minute too long makes them rubbery.
Martha Stewart Shrimp Alfredo
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes20
minutes510
kcalPlump shrimp seared in butter, tossed with fettuccine in a thick, glossy cream sauce spiked with lemon and sharp parmesan.
Ingredients
1 pound fettuccine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail left on if desired
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more lemon zest for serving (optional)
Directions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta.
- Sear the shrimp: Heat a large straight-sided skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and lemon zest, and cook until just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Simmer the cream: Remove shrimp from pan, leaving garlic. Add cream and simmer on medium for 5 minutes.
- Toss with pasta and cheese: Remove garlic cloves. Stir in drained pasta and cheese.
- Add pasta water and season: Mix in pasta water to achieve a creamy consistency, then season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Return the shrimp: Add shrimp and serve sprinkled with cheese and lemon zest.
FAQs
Can I use frozen shrimp for shrimp Alfredo?
Yes, thaw them in the fridge overnight before cooking. Do not use the microwave to defrost, since it partially cooks the edges and you end up with rubbery spots. Pat them very dry with paper towels before they hit the pan, because excess water steams instead of sears.
What size shrimp works best for shrimp Alfredo?
Large shrimp, about 30 to 40 per pound, give you four or five per serving and cook in 2 to 3 minutes. Jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 count) work too but need an extra minute in the pan. Anything smaller than 41/50 count gets lost in the fettuccine.
How do I keep the shrimp from getting rubbery?
Pull them from the skillet the second they turn pink and start to curl, about 2 to 3 minutes over high heat. They finish cooking from residual heat once you add them back to the pasta at the end. Overcooking by even 60 seconds turns them tough and chewy.
Can I make shrimp Alfredo ahead of time?
The sauce thickens as it sits, so this is best eaten fresh. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days, and keep some reserved pasta water in a separate container. When you reheat in a skillet over low heat, stir in that starchy water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce loosens back up.
What should I serve with shrimp Alfredo?
A simple green salad or a Caesar salad cuts through the richness of the cream sauce. Roasted broccoli or steamed asparagus with a squeeze of lemon works well too. Skip the bread unless you want the meal to run heavy, since the fettuccine already covers carbs.
