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Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach

3.80 from 5 votes

Put this Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach on you dinner table soon. Creamy spaghetti made with fresh tender shrimp, fresh spinach, parmesan cheese, a hint of lemon and fresh herbs!

Close up of the creamy pasta dish with shrimp.
Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach

Kicking off the first recipe of 2023 with this delicious Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach. If you’re a fan of pasta dishes like Lemon Pasta with Spinach or the Lemon Cream Spaghetti with Shrimp, this is one you’ll have to try. We served it just as shown, but it would go great with fresh Garlic Knots on the side.

Pasta with shrimp and spinach in a bowl.
Shrimp Pasta Dish with Spinach

What’s This Pasta Dish Like

  • Difficulty level – This isn’t a hard dish to make. I would probably rate it at a medium difficultly only because there are different things going on at different times and organization is key.
  • Taste – This dish has a creamy texture but there isn’t a lot of sauce. The shrimp have a nice flavour but it doen’t overpower the dish with a overly seafood taste. The lemon zest and juice really shine through so don’t skip out on these ingredients.
  • Serving – This dish easy serves four adult portions just as it’s made.
Close up of creamy shrimp pasta.
Creamy Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach

Ingredients

  • Shrimp – I used large raw shrimp for this dish.
  • Pasta – Dry spaghetti any brand will work for this recipe.
  • Fresh spinach – It’s best to use fresh spinach.
  • Leek – Leeks are found in the produce section of supermarkets and are long and pale green with brighter green tips.
  • Garlic – I used fresh minced garlic.
  • Cream – Cooking cream, culinary cream or half and half. Found in the chiller section of supermarkets and usually comes in small cartons.
  • Parmesan cheese – I used fresh grated parmesan cheese.
  • Vegetable broth – Is used for making the sauce in this dish.
  • Lemon juice and zest – I used fresh lemon juice and zest.
  • Fresh herbs – I used fresh chopped parsley.
  • Butter – Unsalted butter.
  • Olive oil – I used extra virgin olive oil.
  • Salt – Regular table salt to enhance the flavours of the dish.

Remember, The full recipe with instructions is found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

Ingredients to make creamy shrimp pasta with spinach.
Ingredients to make the Creamy Shrimp Pasta

Instructions

  1. Cook spaghetti – In a large pot of boiling water, add the spaghetti and cook al dente for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Cook leeks – In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Give a good stir for about 30 seconds and add the leeks. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 – 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
  3. Add and cook shrimp – Increase heat to high and add the shrimp to the skillet with the leeks and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes until the shrimp are cooked and turn a pink white colour.
  4. Add spaghetti – Add the cooked spaghetti and the spinach to the skillet and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to medium.
  5. Finish dish and serve – Pour in the cream and vegetable broth. Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

  • Prep ahead – You can prepare most of this dish in advance. If you are using shrimp that come in their shells, you can prep those up to about 8 hours before cooking. Just be sure to keep them refrigerated.
  • Time saving – Cook the spaghetti while you are cooking the leeks. They both take about the same time and then the dish will be done quicker.
  • Use raw shrimp – It’s important to use raw shrimp in this recipe. If you use pre cooked shrimp, they will dry out and become rubbery while cooking in the pasta.
  • Serve as soon as it’s cooked – Most stove top creamy pasta dishes need to be served as soon as they are cooked. I recommend serving it piping hot from the stove. This dish will lose it’s creamy texture pretty quickly after cooking, so make sure to serve it fresh!
Creamy spaghetti with shrimp in a bowl.
Creamy Shrimp Spaghetti with Spinach

Substitutions

  • Pasta – I used spaghetti for this dish, but many other types of pasta can be used. You could use fettuccine, tagliatelle, penne or even angel hair pasta,
  • Fresh spinach – There is no question, fresh spinach is best. If you are using frozen spinach, just make sure to squeeze out all of the excess water before adding it to the dish.
  • Fresh herbs – My go to herb is usually fresh parsley. Alternatively, you could use fresh basil for a different flavour.
  • Leeks – If you don’t have leeks, you can just as easily use white or brown onions for this pasta dish.
  • Heavy cream – You could use whole milk, creme fraiche, half and half or even evaporated milk in this recipe.
Creamy spaghetti in a bowl with shrimp and spinach.
Spaghetti with Shrimp and Spinach

Frequently Asked Questions

What to serve with shrimp pasta?

Anything that’s fresh would go great as a side to shrimp pasta. Cucumber salad, broccoli salad, steamed broccoli or even garlic bread.

Can you make creamy pasta dishes in advance?

The simple answer is no. You really have to serve creamy pasta dishes as soon as they are cooked. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce the longer it sits around and the dish will be come less creamy.

Pasta with shrimp and spinach in a bowl on a table.
Creamy Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach

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Lemon Spinach Pasta on a plate.

Lemon Cream Spaghetti & Shrimp

This Lemon Cream Spaghetti and Shrimp is what great dinners is all about. Tender spaghetti noodles with a creamy lemon parmesan sauce and topped with fresh garlic shrimp and herbs.
Check out this recipe

Close up of the creamy pasta dish with shrimp.
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Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach

Put this Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach on you dinner table soon. Creamy spaghetti made with fresh tender shrimp, fresh spinach, parmesan cheese, a hint of lemon and fresh herbs!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Pasta, Seafood, spinach
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 564kcal
Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

  • 1 lb shrimp raw– peeled and de veined
  • 8 oz spaghetti
  • 6 oz fresh spinach
  • 1 medium leek sliced cross ways finely sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • Juice and zest of one lemon
  • Bunch of freshly chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In a large pot of boiling water, add the spaghetti and cook al dente for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Give a good stir for about 30 seconds and add the leeks. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 – 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Increase heat to high and add the shrimp to the skillet with the leeks and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes until the shrimp are cooked and turn a pink white colour.
  • Add the cooked spaghetti and the spinach to the skillet and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to medium.
  • Pour in the cream and vegetable broth. Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and stir. Serve immediately.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Notes

  1. Prep ahead – You can prepare most of this dish in advance. If you are using shrimp that come in their shells, you can prep those up to about 8 hours before cooking. Just be sure to keep them refrigerated.
  2. Time saving – Cook the spaghetti while you are cooking the leeks. They both take about the same time and then the dish will be done quicker.
  3. Use raw shrimp – it’s important to use raw shrimp in this recipe . If you use pre cooked shrimp, they will dry out and become rubbery while cooking in the pasta.
  4. Serve as soon as it’s cooked – Most stove top creamy pasta dishes need to be served as soon as they are cooked. I recommend serving it piping hot from the stove. This dish will lose it’s creamy texture pretty quickly after cooking, so make sure to serve it fresh!
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Spinach
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 564 Calories from Fat 351
% Daily Value*
Fat 39g60%
Saturated Fat 22g138%
Cholesterol 399mg133%
Sodium 1364mg59%
Potassium 250mg7%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 1616IU32%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 522mg52%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!

By on January 5th, 2023
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