Shrimp in Cream Sauce

Wonderfully creamy and flavorful, shrimp in cream sauce is a dish that comes together quickly and easily, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 400kcal

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided, or ¼ teaspoon divided of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
Black pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch cayenne
3 tablespoon parmesan cheese grated
2 tablespoons parsley chopped; or 1 teaspoon of dried parsley

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with half the kosher salt and black pepper. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook them until just cooked through and no longer translucent, about 4 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
Add the garlic to the skillet. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cream, cayenne pepper, and the remaining kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring. This should take about 1 minute.
Add the parmesan cheese and gently stir until melted, about 30 seconds.
Add the shrimp back to the skillet. Gently stir to combine them with the sauce and reheat, about 1 more minute.
Sprinkle the dish with parsley and serve.

Although I often opt for tail-on shrimp because of their prettier presentation, in this recipe, it's best to use tail-off shrimp. It makes the dish easier to eat. But if all you have on hand is tail-on shrimp, that's fine!
In the last step of this recipe, right before serving, you add the shrimp back to the creamy sauce. Make sure to keep this step brief - the shrimp are already cooked, and you don't want to overcook them.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers. The cream sauce will likely separate upon thawing.