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This Garlic Cream Shrimp recipe delivers a luxurious, restaurant-quality meal in under 20 minutes. The creamy, garlicky sauce perfectly coats plump, juicy shrimp for an impressive yet easy dinner. It’s a foolproof dish that turns any night into a special occasion.

Recipe Overview

Why You’ll Love This Garlic Cream Shrimp

Quick & Easy: Ready in just 20 minutes for busy nights.
Luxurious Sauce: Velvety cream, garlic, and white wine create a rich coating.
Versatile Serving: Perfect over pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
Balanced Flavor: Cream and Parmesan mellow the garlic for a savory bite.

Ingredients & Tools

450 g large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, finely chopped
120 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
240 ml heavy cream (double cream)
50 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tools: A large skillet, tongs, a microplane or zester for the Parmesan, and a sharp knife.

Notes: Use fresh garlic (not jarred) and a dry white wine you enjoy drinking for the best flavor.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:	485 kcal
Protein:	28 g
Fat:	35 g
Carbs:	6 g
Fiber:	0.5 g

Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

Get your shrimp ready first. If using frozen shrimp, make sure they are fully thawed and patted very dry with paper towels. Any extra moisture will steam the shrimp instead of giving them a nice sear.
Fresh garlic is non-negotiable. I know it’s tempting to reach for the jar, but for a recipe where garlic is the star, you really need the vibrant, pungent kick that only freshly minced cloves can provide.
Don’t skimp on the cream. Use a heavy or double cream with a high fat content. This ensures your sauce will be luxuriously thick and silky, and it won’t have any risk of curdling when the lemon juice is added.
Grate your own Parmesan. The pre-grated stuff often contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy. A block of Parmigiano-Reggiano grated fresh will melt into the sauce beautifully.

How to Make Garlic Cream Shrimp

Step 1: Start by prepping all your ingredients. This is a fast-moving recipe, so having everything measured and ready to go—what the French call *mise en place*—makes the process smooth and enjoyable. Mince your garlic, chop the shallot and parsley, grate the Parmesan, and pat your shrimp completely dry. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 2: Place your large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted and the foam subsides, add the shrimp in a single layer. You’ll hear a satisfying sizzle. Cook for just about 1-2 minutes per side, until they’re pink and opaque. They cook quickly, so don’t walk away! Remove them to a plate immediately; they will finish cooking later in the sauce.

Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Toss in the shallot and cook for a minute until it softens and becomes fragrant. Now, add the minced garlic and the optional red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for just 30 seconds—you want it to be aromatic but not the least bit brown, or it could turn bitter.

Step 4: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Use your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes. You’ll notice the sharp alcohol smell fading, leaving behind a concentrated, flavorful base for your sauce.

Step 5: Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream. Bring it to a gentle simmer—you don’t want a rolling boil. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it’s completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon nicely.

Step 6: Return the cooked shrimp and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Stir everything together to warm the shrimp through, which will only take about a minute. Finish the dish by stirring in the fresh lemon juice and most of the chopped parsley. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.

Storage & Freshness Guide

Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Freezer: Not recommended; cream sauces may separate.
Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of cream or water.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

Angel Hair Pasta — The delicate strands are perfect for twirling and soaking up every last drop of that glorious cream sauce.
Crusty Garlic Bread — Absolutely essential for mopping up the sauce left on your plate. It’s a non-negotiable side in my book.
Simple Arugula Salad — The peppery greens with a light lemon vinaigrette provide a refreshing, crisp contrast to the rich shrimp.

Drinks

A Crisp Sauvignon Blanc — The same wine used in the sauce creates a perfect pairing, with its citrus notes cutting through the creaminess beautifully.
Sparkling Water with Lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are incredibly refreshing and palate-cleansing.

Something Sweet

Lemon Sorbet — A light, zesty, and clean finish that contrasts wonderfully with the rich, savory main course without feeling too heavy.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

Overcooking the shrimp. Shrimp go from perfectly tender to rubbery in a matter of seconds. Cook them just until they turn pink and opaque, then remove them from the pan. They’ll heat through again at the end.
Burning the garlic. Garlic burns incredibly fast and becomes bitter. Keep the heat at medium when sautéing it and stir constantly for no more than 30 seconds.
Using pre-grated Parmesan. As mentioned before, the cellulose in pre-grated cheese prevents it from melting smoothly, leading to a grainy, less cohesive sauce.
Skipping the deglazing step. Those browned bits at the bottom of the pan are pure flavor. Not scraping them up with the wine means you’re leaving the best part behind!

Expert Tips

Tip: For an extra layer of flavor, add a splash of the pasta cooking water to your sauce if you’re serving it with pasta. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to the noodles like a dream.
Tip: If your sauce seems a bit too thin after adding the cream, let it simmer for another minute or two. It will naturally reduce and thicken. Avoid adding flour, as it can make the sauce pasty.
Tip: To make

Garlic Cream Shrimp

Cost Level $$

Category Shrimp Recipes

Difficulty Medium

Cuisine Mediterranean, american

Servings 3

Total Time 20 minutes

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Make restaurant-quality Garlic Cream Shrimp in just 20 minutes! This easy recipe features juicy shrimp in a rich, creamy sauce. Get the step-by-step guide now!

Ingredients

For the Ingredients

450 g large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 small shallot (finely chopped)
120 ml dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
240 ml heavy cream (double cream)
50 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

01
Start by prepping all your ingredients. This is a fast-moving recipe, so having everything measured and ready to go—what the French call *mise en place*—makes the process smooth and enjoyable. Mince your garlic, chop the shallot and parsley, grate the Parmesan, and pat your shrimp completely dry. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
02
Place your large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted and the foam subsides, add the shrimp in a single layer. You’ll hear a satisfying sizzle. Cook for just about 1-2 minutes per side, until they’re pink and opaque. They cook quickly, so don’t walk away! Remove them to a plate immediately; they will finish cooking later in the sauce.
03
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Toss in the shallot and cook for a minute until it softens and becomes fragrant. Now, add the minced garlic and the optional red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for just 30 seconds—you want it to be aromatic but not the least bit brown, or it could turn bitter.
04
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Use your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 2-3 minutes. You’ll notice the sharp alcohol smell fading, leaving behind a concentrated, flavorful base for your sauce.
05
Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream. Bring it to a gentle simmer—you don’t want a rolling boil. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it’s completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon nicely.
06
Return the cooked shrimp and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Stir everything together to warm the shrimp through, which will only take about a minute. Finish the dish by stirring in the fresh lemon juice and most of the chopped parsley. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.