By Becky Hardin
Updated Jan 15, 2025
Creamy Parmesan Shrimp is my go-to whenever I crave for simple yet indulgent weeknight dinners. Juicy, sautéed shrimp in a cream and cheese sauce, the flavors are just out of this world. All whipped up in one pan using simple ingredients, this comes together so easily. You’ll love how this buttery, creamy and utterly delicious Parmesan Garlic Shrimp recipe ticks all the boxes!
It’s great when simple ingredients come together to create such a luscious dish! Plump and juicy shrimps, sautéed in garlic and smothered in a flavor packed sauce, made with parmesan and white wine – what’s not to love!
These garlic shrimps are high in protein, low carb, and make a filling lunch or dinner, just like this lightened-up version featuring air fryer shrimp with garlic . Adding some carbs will make it just tastier. Any cooked pasta , like orzo, linguine, fettuccine, capellini, will combine well with the sauce.
Looking for more shrimp recipes ? Why not also try my Shrimp Creole and my Honey Sesame Shrimp !
Creamy Garlic Shrimp with Parmesan
Pan seared shrimp, tossed in garlic and covered in a creamy cheese sauce. Parmesan, chili flakes and lemon work so well with the shrimp in this easy seafood recipe.
Fresh shrimps taste best and cook beautifully in light pink color. If you are not living close to coastal area or not having access to fresh one, then frozen shrimps are better. Pre-cooked shrimp go softer as they are already cooked.
Removing the tail is very personal choice. I just fork it and one bite. But I leave it up to you.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: When running out of time I prefer to use “deveined” shrimp. Frozen shrimp will also work well. Just thaw them before using.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter so I can adjust salt. Salted butter will work just make sure to use lesser while sauteing shrimp and adjust it in the recipe.
- Wine: I am using dry white wine in garlic shrimp recipe. A dry white wine is one that has very little sweetness and often a good bit of acidity. If you’re not a drinker, consider a shelf-stable bottle of white cooking wine, often found in the vinegar aisle. If you don’t have any white wine on hand, substitute with an equal amount of low sodium chicken broth.
- Heavy cream: It gives the richness and creamy texture. But feel free to use any low-fat alternative like half-half, 2%, or whole milk. While using these alternatives overall gravy texture may differ.
- Parmesan cheese: Instead of Parmesan, Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are both delicious alternatives.
Variations & Substitutions
- For a completely dairy free option, use non-dairy butter or oil, coconut cream in place of the heavy cream, and nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.
- Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten free. Be sure to serve it with rice, gluten free pasta, or gluten free bread.
- Swap shrimps with scallops or chicken or salmon for a variety of seafood with cheese sauce.
What kind of wine should I use?
Use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling. I love cooking with these wines because they aren’t as sweet and acidic. Wine is working as medium to deglaze the pan. You can choose any broth for the same.
Deglazing a pan means adding liquid (like wine, broth, or water) to a hot pan which helps release any stuck on brown bits. This contributes a lot of extra flavor to the dish!
Tips For Success
- Shrimp cook very quickly. As soon as they turn a pinkish color, they are finished cooking.
- Transfer the shrimp to a bowl immediately after cooking. If you leave them in the pan, the residual heat will overcook the shrimp.
- Add any cooked pasta and make your garlic shrimp pasta with parmesan.
- If you want to jazz up a bit, add Cajun or Creole seasoning.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover creamy parmesan shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Add in sauce pan and heat on low-medium heat until enough.
Serving Suggestions
Protein packed shrimp in a dreamy cheese sauce, you can serve this in so many ways! Rice, veggies, pasta, potatoes are all your friends with this delicious dish. One of the easiest skillet recipes and perfect for busy weeknights. Pair it with Steamed rice like Basmati Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes . Loaded Scalloped Potatoes and Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli are vegetables sides for some extra cheesy flavors. Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and Cauliflower Rice are perfect to keep on a low-carb meal.
5-Star Review
“I made this last night and it was the moistest chicken we’ve ever had. A bit of crispy and the flavor was wonderful. I didn’t have buttermilk and did add lemon juice to 1% milk. I am making it again today. Thank you for this recipe.” – Dawn
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1½ pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
- ▢ Kosher salt to taste
- ▢ Ground black pepper to taste
- ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter divided (½ stick or 4 tablespoons)
- ▢ ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ▢ 6 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- ▢ ⅔ cup dry white wine
- ▢ 1½ cups heavy cream
- ▢ 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢ Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
- ▢ Cooked pasta or rice for serving
Video
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add shrimps and season them with salt and pepper. Sauté the shrimp until pink, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean bowl and set aside. 1½ pounds shrimp, Kosher salt, Ground black pepper
- Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Sauté the onions until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. ½ cup diced yellow onion, 6 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Pour the white wine into the skillet and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow the liquid to reduce by half, about 10-15 minutes. ⅔ cup dry white wine
- Stir in the cream and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. 1½ cups heavy cream
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and bring the sauce to a simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Return the shrimp to the skillet and simmer until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges over pasta or rice. Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges, Cooked pasta or rice
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet (optional)
Becky’s Tips
- Shrimp cook very quickly. As soon as they turn a pinkish color, they are finished cooking.
- Transfer the shrimp to a bowl immediately after cooking. If you leave them in the pan, the residual heat will overcook the shrimp.
- Storage: Store shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Shrimp: Choose deveined shrimp to save prep time. If using frozen shrimp, let them thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- For a complete dairy free option, use non-dairy butter or oil, coconut cream in place of the heavy cream, and nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free. Be sure to serve it with rice, gluten free pasta, or gluten free bread.
- Swap shrimps with scallops or chicken or salmon for other variations.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Creamy Parmesan Shrimp
Saute the shrimp: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add 1½ pounds of shrimp to the large pan and season the them with salt and pepper. Sauté the shrimp until pink for about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer them to a clean bowl and set aside.
Prepare cheese sauce: Use the same skillet to prepare cheese sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add ½ cup of diced yellow onion and saute them until softened. It takes about 3-4 minutes.
Now add 6 minced garlic cloves and ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, cook them for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add ⅔ cup of dry white wine into the skillet and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow the liquid to reduce by half, about 10-15 minutes, keep stirring occasionally to avoid burn.
Time to add 1½ cups of heavy cream, combine well, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the cream mixture and combine well. Make sure there is no lump in the mixture. Sauce it to a simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Combine shrimp and sauce: Once the sauce is ready, transfer the shrimps to the skillet and simmer until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges over pasta or rice. Enjoy this creamy, lemony, cheesy shrimp with parmesan sauce, a perfect weeknight dinner!
More Skillet Seafood Recipes to Try:
Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Salmon Bowls
Salmon Seasoning
Paella
BBQ Shrimp (New Orleans Style)
Coconut Curry Shrimp
Fried Shrimp
Popcorn Shrimp
Creamy Parmesan Shrimp Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet (optional)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup unsalted butter divided (½ stick or 4 tablespoons)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- ⅔ cup dry white wine
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
- Cooked pasta or rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add shrimps and season them with salt and pepper. Sauté the shrimp until pink, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean bowl and set aside. 1½ pounds shrimp, Kosher salt, Ground black pepper
- Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Sauté the onions until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. ½ cup diced yellow onion, 6 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Pour the white wine into the skillet and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow the liquid to reduce by half, about 10-15 minutes. ⅔ cup dry white wine
- Stir in the cream and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. 1½ cups heavy cream
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and bring the sauce to a simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Return the shrimp to the skillet and simmer until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges over pasta or rice. Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges, Cooked pasta or rice
Video
Notes
- Shrimp cook very quickly. As soon as they turn a pinkish color, they are finished cooking.
- Transfer the shrimp to a bowl immediately after cooking. If you leave them in the pan, the residual heat will overcook the shrimp.
- Storage: Store shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Shrimp: Choose deveined shrimp to save prep time. If using frozen shrimp, let them thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- For a complete dairy free option, use non-dairy butter or oil, coconut cream in place of the heavy cream, and nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free. Be sure to serve it with rice, gluten free pasta, or gluten free bread.
- Swap shrimps with scallops or chicken or salmon for other variations.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
