This Creamy Garlic Shrimp is an easy skillet meal that you can serve with pasta, rice, potatoes, or crusty bread! The creamy Parmesan garlic sauce is full of fresh flavor, you will love this recipe!

Creamy Garlic Shrimp in a skillet with lemons and chopped parsley.

Creamy Garlic Shrimp

Welcome to your new favorite, gourmet-style 30 minute meal.

This Creamy Garlic Shrimp has a perfect blend of white wine, savory broth, fresh garlic, cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and fresh parsley! 

This recipe also uses a finishing technique called “monter au beurre”, where you add cold butter at the end for a smooth, velvety finish to this incredible sauce.

Be sure to check out my pro tips so that you end up with juicy, perfectly cooked shrimp.

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Sauté the shrimp in olive oil for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side, set aside.

Shrimp on a plate before and after being cooked.Add wine and garlic, reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and seasonings. Bring to a gentle boil and let it reduce and concentrate for 6-7 minutes. 

Stir in the heavy cream over low heat, then stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Making a Creamy Garlic Sauce with broth, garlic, seasonings, and cream.

Add the shrimp back to the skillet, then add lemon juice and swirl in cold butter until melted. Garnish with parsley and serve!

Adding shrimp to a skillet with Creamy Garlic Sauce.

Tips for Cooking with Shrimp

  • The size I use is large, and is labeled as 26/30 per pound. (This means that it takes between 26-30 shrimp to equal a pound.) You can use fresh or frozen.
  • If using frozen shrimp: Run them under cool water until completely thawed, then pat them dry. You may also need to remove the shells/veins.
  • Salting Shrimp: Frozen shrimp are typically placed in a brine before being frozen, and the solution in the frozen container is typically salted as well, so there is no need to salt the shrimp prior to cooking.
  • Shrimp can go from cooked to overcooked very quickly, consider setting a timer to avoid overcooking. One way to mitigate this is to peel them after you sauté them, the shell helps protect them from cooking too quickly.
  • Shrimp curled into a “c” =cooked. A shrimp curled into an “o” = overcooked.

More Pro Tips

  • Grate the cheese from a wedge and avoid using packaged grated cheese. It will melt and taste much better. I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese.
  • Make sure the base of the sauce isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, or the dairy can separate and result in a grainy consistency.
  • The heat also needs to be low (or off), when the lemon juice is added, otherwise the acidity can cause the cream to curdle.
  • White Wine: Dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio are best in this recipe and pair well with lemon. Chicken Broth may be used if you don’t cook with wine.
  • Serving Suggestions: This recipe pairs well with rice, linguine, crusty bread, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, a variety of roasted vegetables, buttered noodles, and creamy herb pasta.

Why Does Garlic Turn Blue

  • Garlic that isn’t super fresh can turn blue when combined with acidic ingredients such as white wine or lemon juice. Try to use fresh garlic cloves to avoid this issue.
  • The good news is that it’s still safe to eat if the color does change. 

Storage

  • This cream-based sauce is best when served fresh, and isn’t ideal for freezing. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

A skillet filled with shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce with fresh lemons and parsley.

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Creamy Garlic Shrimp in a skillet with lemon slices and a spoon.

Creamy Garlic Shrimp

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
5 from 12 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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This Creamy Garlic Shrimp is an easy skillet meal with a delicious Parmesan garlic cream sauce. You'll love serving this with pasta, rice, potatoes, or crusty bread!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Shrimp

  • 1 lb. large uncooked shrimp, see notes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

  • ½ cup dry white wine, see notes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter
  • ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

Prepare the Shrimp

  • Measure out ingredients before beginning. Thaw the shrimp completely and pat the surface dry. You may also need to remove the shell, tail, and veins.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute + 20 seconds per side. (Use a timer to avoid overcooking). Tilt the pan to transfer the shrimp onto a clean plate. Note that they’ll cook a little bit more as they sit, and again when added back to the sauce.

Make the Sauce

  • Add the wine and garlic to the same skillet over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle bubble and let it reduce for 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
  • Add the chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and mustard powder. Bring to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 6-7 minutes or so to thicken and concentrate the flavor. Reduce heat to low.
  • Stir in the heavy cream, then stir in the Parmesan cheese until incorporated.
  • Add the shrimp back to the skillet and let it heat through for 30 seconds. Add cold butter and tilt the pan to swirl the butter throughout the sauce until melted.
  • Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Garnish with parsley and serve! (See notes for pairing suggestions.)

Notes

To serve with pasta: Boil up to ½ lb. pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain the rest. Return the pasta to the pot and pour the prepared shrimp/sauce on top. Toss with kitchen tongs and add pasta water as desired, this will create more sauce to distribute throughout the pasta.
Pro Tips
  • Shrimp: The size I use is large, and is labeled as 26/30 per pound. You can use fresh or frozen. See blog post for a list of pro tips for cooking with shrimp!
  • Grate the cheese from a wedge and avoid using packaged grated cheese. It will melt and taste much better. I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese.
  • Make sure the base of the sauce isn't too hot when the cheese is added, or the dairy can separate and result in a grainy consistency.
  • The heat also needs to be low (or off), when the lemon juice is added, otherwise the acidity can cause the cream to curdle.
  • White Wine: Dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio are best in this recipe and pair well with lemon. Chicken Broth may be used if you don't cook with wine.
  • Serving Suggestions: This recipe pairs well with rice, linguine, crusty bread, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, a variety of roasted vegetables, buttered noodles, and creamy herb pasta.
Storage
  • This cream-based sauce is best when served fresh, and isn't ideal for freezing. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 289mg, Sodium: 658mg, Potassium: 444mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1305IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 295mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie