Old Bay Garlic Shrimp Pasta

This Old Bay garlic shrimp pasta recipe is incredibly delicious and addictive. It's quick and easy as it can be ready in less than 30 minutes. It is inexpensive to make for a weeknight dinner but also elegant enough to serve for a romantic date night or a special occasion.

If you still have some leftover Old Bay or Cajun seasoning in your pantry, make this garlic shrimp pasta tonight.

This Old Bay garlic shrimp pasta will impress everyone at your table... "laissez les bon temps rouler" (let the good times roll)!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love this Garlic Shrimp Pasta 
• Ingredients for Garlic Shrimp Pasta 
• How to Make Garlic Shrimp Pasta
• Tips and Variations
• How to Store Leftover Old Bay Shrimp Pasta 
• How to Reheat Leftover Pasta
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Love this Garlic Shrimp Pasta 

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Here are some reasons why you will love this pasta. 

1. This garlic shrimp pasta is loaded with zesty flavor. It's also garlicky and has just the right amount of heat.

2. It's much cheaper, tastier, and healthier than what you'd get at a restaurant.

3. Even though this pasta uses heavy cream as one of the ingredients, it's still light enough to serve for everyday meals. It's lower in calories and fat content than any other creamy pasta recipe you'd find. 

4. This recipe is not only easy to prepare but also adjustable. I will show you some tips below on how to make this pasta creamier and saucier if you prefer. 

Ingredients for Garlic Shrimp Pasta 

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To make this garlic shrimp pasta, you'll need the following ingredients. 

• Shrimp. In this recipe, I used a pound of peeled and tail-on shrimp (about 21-25 shrimp per pound) so everyone will get enough shrimp to serve with the pasta. 
• Old Bay Seasoning. It's a great seasoning for seafood. Old Bay seasoning contains a unique blend of 18 herbs and spices. You can purchase it at any grocery store or on Amazon.com. If you can't find Old Bay seasoning, feel free to substitute it with Cajun seasoning.
• Lemon Juice. Only use a small amount of lemon juice to add freshness and a bright flavor to the shrimp. 

• Garlic. Use fresh minced garlic. The amount of garlic that goes into this recipe is adjustable according to your taste. Honestly, though, the garlic adds a flavor bomb to this pasta recipe! 
• Shallots. It's optional. I used shallots to add fragrance and sweetness to the pasta. It's milder in flavor compared to an onion. 
• Pasta. You can use any long pasta, such as Spaghetti, Fettuccine, or Linguini. 
• Heavy Cream. I used a small amount of heavy cream to add richness and creaminess to the pasta.
• White wine. It's used to deglaze the pan. If you are avoiding any alcoholic products, you can use chicken broth instead. 
• Other ingredients. Olive oil, unsalted butter, and fresh parsley. 

How to Make Garlic Shrimp Pasta

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Making this pasta consists of three easy steps.

1. Prepare the Pasta

• In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to the product packaging until al dente.
• Remove the cooked pasta from the pot. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water for later use. 

2. Prepare the Shrimp 

• In a bowl, combine fresh shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning and lemon juice. Mix well. 
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and add olive oil. Cook the garlic just until fragrant.
• Add shrimp and cook until it's pink. Remove the shrimp and place it on a plate, then set it aside. 

3. Prepare the Sauce 

• In the same skillet, melt butter, and cook shallots until translucent. Add garlic and cook until it's fragrant. 
• Add white wine and deglaze the pan. Bring to a simmer until the wine is reduced to about a tablespoon. 
• Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir and let the cheese melt. 
• Add cooked shrimp and parley then stir to combine.
• Lower the heat to a low setting, add the cooked pasta, and toss to coat.
• Add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Adjust the seasoning with more Old Bay Seasoning if necessary. 

Tips and Variations

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• Creamier but Lighter in Flavor Old Bay Pasta. If you want to make this pasta creamier but lighter in flavor, use ¾ cup of heavy cream instead of ½ cup of heavy cream. This will make this pasta more kid-friendly. 
• Creamier, Bolder, and Saucier Old Bay Pasta. Use at least ¾ cup of heavy cream and with some pasta water instead of ½ cup of heavy cream. You also need to increase the amount of Old Bay seasoning that goes into the recipe. 
• Pasta water. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water, at least ½ cup. Pasta water can be useful to add flavor, thicken the sauce, and add moisture to the pasta. 
• Serving. This pasta is enough to serve up to 6 small servings. Feel free to use more shrimp if needed.

How to Store Leftover Old Bay Shrimp Pasta 

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• First, let the pasta cool at room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. If properly stored, this pasta lasts up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. 
• For your safety, do not leave leftovers out for more than two hours at room temperature, or one hour when the temperature is over 90°F. 

How to Reheat Leftover Pasta

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• Place a single serving of shrimp pasta in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of water then cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid. Cook for 1 minute at medium heat.
• If the pasta isn't warmed all the way through, stir it,  and cook it again in 15-second increments until completely heated.

Check Out More Pasta Recipes

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• Quick Lemon Pasta
• Mushroom Broccoli Pasta
• Anchovy Pasta with Capers
• Pasta with Mussels
• Canned Clam Pasta
• Easy Squid Pasta
• Bratwurst Pasta
• Easy Canned Tuna Pasta
• Rotini Pasta with Broccolini and Shrimp

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating.

📖 Recipe