Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp
Last Updated on August 27, 2022 by Annie
Elevate your weeknight dinners with this flavorful Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp. Thick and creamy non-dairy garlic cream sauce coats spaghetti noodles and juicy shrimp in this 30-minute dinner recipe.
As the only person in my household that really needs the dairy-free life, I feel bad for the amount of times my husband misses out on dairy-based meals (mostly pizza, creamy pastas, and cheese boards). While I constantly remind him he’s more than happy to have those things whenever he wishes, he usually only indulges when we go out to eat.
To help soften the blow, I sometimes make meals that he could top with cheese (not vegan cheese, but the real stuff)- like mom’s hamburger helper, loaded nachos, or penne with arrabbiata sauce.
That said, I’m often quite chuffed with myself when I can make a dish so deliciously dairy-free and creamy that he’s compelled to do a double-take. After a much deserved double-take, this creamy shrimp pasta also received the highly coveted “I can’t believe this is dairy-free.”
Why You’ll Love this Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Ultra-creamy pasta. We’re talking sauce sticking to the noodles kinda creamy here.
- Easy weeknight dinner. Takes about 30 minutes to make this delicious and creamy pasta dinner!
How to Make Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp
Using the garlic cream sauce from my creamy garlic orzo pasta recipe, this iteration features spaghetti noodles, juicy cooked shrimp, and a little spinach for an added nutrition boost.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Garlic cream sauce– A thick and creamy sauce made with plant-based butter, onion, garlic, flour, and oat milk.
- Spaghetti– Cooked to your desired level of done-ness. I typically go with a fully cooked spaghetti noodle.
- Shrimp– Peeled and deveined, to add a little protein to this delicious pasta dish.
- Spinach– Fresh chopped spinach added in at the end for some additional vegetables.
- Seasoning– Salt, pepper, and lemon juice for a little flavor.
Quick steps for Creamy Shrimp Pasta
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water, then add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Remove pasta but keep the water in the pot.
- Boil shrimp: In the same pot of water, boil shrimp about 3-5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
- Sauté onions: Melt plant-based butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes, until tender.
- Add garlic: Next add garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
- Make roux: Once fragrant, whisk in flour, and cook until golden.
- Whisk in non-dairy milk: Slowly whisk in oat milk. Once it’s thick and creamy, remove from heat.
- Add remaining ingredients: Off heat, stir in chopped spinach, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Toss with cooked pasta and boiled shrimp. Serve and enjoy!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Here are just a few of the kitchen tools I used in making this creamy shrimp pasta recipe.
- Microplane– Used to grate garlic into a paste like texture. I love how much easier it is to grate garlic instead of just mincing it.
- Whisk– Used for making the roux and whisking in the oat milk.
- Gold Flatware– This simple flatware is what I use in most of my photography. I hand wash it to maintain the gold color but so far it has held up very well.
Dairy-Free Swaps for Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Just two dairy-free replacements take this ultra-creamy pasta recipe to the next level.
- Plant-based butter. The base of the roux, which helps thicken the cream sauce, uses plant-based butter.
- Non-dairy milk. I find the best non-dairy milk for this recipe is oat milk, however you can also use full-fat coconut milk (might give the sauce a slight coconut flavor) or a heavy whipping cream alternative like this one from Silk.
Variations to Try
- Omit the shrimp. Just like my creamy garlic orzo pasta, you can make this pasta dish without the shrimp for a vegetarian or vegan option.
- Swap out the pasta. Use fettuccine, penne, shells, and more to make this pasta dish.
- Double the spinach. Double down on the greens and add a little more spinach for an extra boost.
Serving Suggestions
Looking to take this pasta dish to the next level? Here are a few dishes you can serve up with this creamy shrimp pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find oat milk to provide the creamiest option without leaving additional flavors to the sauce. That said, you do not have to use oat milk for the sauce. Other non-dairy milks to try include full-fat coconut milk (might give the sauce a slight coconut flavor) or a heavy whipping cream alternative like this one from silk.
Absolutely! I love using a spaghetti like pasta for this dish but you can also swap it out for orzo, penne, shells, and more!
Yes. If you want to cook the shrimp a different way from boiling you can try pan searing in the skillet before making the sauce or grill the shrimp and toss them in at the end.
Shrimp Recipes to Check out Next
Did you make this Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp? Let me know in the comments below how it went. You can also take a picture and share it with me on Instagram @mylifeafterdairy so I can share your life after dairy adventures!
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Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp
Spaghetti coated in a thick creamy garlic sauce and topped with juicy shrimp makes this creamy garlic pasta with shrimp an unforgettable dinner!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Spaghetti Noodles
- 1 pound Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- ½ Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic microplaned/grated
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1½ cups Oat milk or other thick non-dairy milk
- 2 cups Spinach chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water, then add 8 ounces spaghetti noodles and cook according to package directions. Remove pasta but keep the water in the pot.
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In the same pot of water, boil 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp for about 3-5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
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Melt 4 Tablespoons plant-based butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add diced onion and cook about 3 minutes, until tender.
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Next add 4 cloves grated garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
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Once fragrant, whisk in 2 Tablespoons flour, and cook until golden.
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Slowly whisk in 1½ cups oat milk. Once it's thick and creamy, remove from heat.
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Off heat, stir in 2 cups chopped spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice. Toss with pasta and shrimp. Serve and enjoy!
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