Creamy shrimp & mushroom pasta is a quick and easy meal that looks fancy and special. It is a beautiful choice for a date night at home.
Shrimp is perfect for a quick dinner as they literally cook in minutes. As shrimp is also low in fat and calories, I find it a great choice for a creamy, slightly indulgent pasta dish.
Plus, who needs an excuse to put a pasta meal on the menu? Bolognese, mac & cheese, or one of many one-pot wonders, just give me all the pasta!
Ingredients
Spaghetti or Linguine Noodles: I like long pasta for this recipe, but penne or fusilli would be fine too.
Shrimp: Use raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand for quick, easy meals.
Butter & Olive Oil: I really like the combination of butter and olive oil to sauté veggies and then add flavor and richness to the finished sauce.
Mushrooms: Sautéed mushrooms are so delicious and add great texture to the dish.
Onion: I like to use red onions for color contrast and their sharp flavor. Yellow or white onions are also a great choice.
Garlic: Adds great flavor and aroma.
Flour: Combines with the butter and olive oil to thicken the sauce.
Lemon Juice: I love the bright flavor lemon adds to creamy pasta sauce. Lemon goes beautifully with shrimp.
Italian Seasoning: Fresh basil, oregano, and parsley are amazing if you have them available. I used a dry Italian seasoning blend.
Chicken Stock: The liquid base for the sauce. A vegetable stock would also work.
Half & Half: Adds richness to the sauce.
Spinach: A bit of fresh spinach add a nice pop of color.
Parmesan Cheese: Parm adds a sharp, salty flavor and helps thicken the sauce.
Salt & Pepper: Enhances the flavor.
Instructions
Start by heating water for your pasta. As the water heats to boiling, you can gather the ingredients and prep your vegetables. Select a large, heavy skillet. A deep skillet is preferred as you will eventually be tossing the pasta into the sauce.
Add butter and olive oil to a hot skillet and swirl the skillet to combine them. Add the mushrooms and onions. Sauté until the mushrooms release their juices and the onions are tender. You will then remove them from the skillet while you finish the remaining ingredients.
Add another drizzle of olive oil. Sauté the garlic for one minute, then stir in the flour. Add lemon juice, stock, and seasonings and stir until smooth. The flour will thicken the mixture within a few minutes. Stir in the half & half and let it simmer.
Add the shrimp along with the mushroom and onion mixture. The shrimp is cooked when it turns white and starts to curl slightly. Finally, add the parm and spinach and stir as the spinach wilts.
Drain the pasta and add to the skillet with the sauce. Toss and serve.
I like to serve a side vegetable with creamy shrimp and mushroom pasta. Broccoli is a great choice.
Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 ounces spaghetti or linguine noodles
- 16 medium shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 4 ounces mushrooms -sliced
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ½ half and half
- 1 cup fresh spinach roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese freshly grated
- Salt & freshly grated black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil water for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms release their water, and it's cooked off. Take the mushroom mixture out of the pan and set them aside.
- If the skillet looks dry, add a little olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Stir in flour, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and chicken stock. Return the pan to the heat. Stir until the mixture is smooth and simmer for a few minutes.
- Add in the half & half and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Add the shrimp and mushroom mixture back to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through, and the sauce is thickened to your liking. Add the spinach and parm and stir as the spinach wilts. Season with salt & pepper.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve with additional grated parmesan if you wish.