Go Back
Delicious Easy Marry Me Shrimp served in creamy sun dried tomato sauce with fresh basil.

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

A creamy, tangy shrimp pasta dish featuring sun dried tomatoes that delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Comfort Food, Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta
  • 12 ounces penne or fettuccine pasta Any pasta shape works well.
  • 1 cup pasta water Reserved from cooking pasta.
For the Shrimp
  • 1 pound medium to large shrimp Pat dry after thawing if frozen.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter For cooking shrimp.
  • Salt to taste For seasoning.
  • Pepper to taste For seasoning.
For the Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons butter Adjust amount based on the pan.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes Chopped; soak if very dry.
  • 1 cup heavy cream Half and half can be used for a lighter version.
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese Freshly grated preferred.
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes Optional, adjust for spice level.
For Garnish
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley Chopped.

Method
 

Pasta Preparation
  1. Boil the pasta in salted water until just tender. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Shrimp Cooking
  1. Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear in olive oil or butter for 1-2 minutes per side until pink.
  2. Remove shrimp from the pan onto a plate.
Sauce Building
  1. In the same pan, add more butter if needed and sauté garlic for 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in chopped sun dried tomatoes, then pour in the cream and sprinkle in Parmesan.
  3. Add red pepper flakes if desired and let sauce simmer until it thickens slightly.
Finishing Touches
  1. Add drained pasta to the sauce, splashing in reserved pasta water until the sauce is silky.
  2. Return shrimp to the pan to warm through. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

Keep the heat medium to avoid separating the cream. Use reserved pasta water to help the sauce stick. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days, reheating gently.