Description
Creamy Tuscan Garlic Shrimp is a rich and flavorful dish featuring seared shrimp simmered in a luscious sauce made with heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick and elegant dinner, this recipe pairs beautifully with pasta, orzo, couscous, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Seasoning
- 1 pound shrimp – raw, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 7 oz jar sun dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Basil for garnish
Instructions
- Season and Sear Shrimp: Season the shrimp evenly with salt and pepper. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they start to turn pink and are seared on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and chopped garlic. Sauté for several minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Stir in the roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes to release their flavor into the mixture.
- Make Creamy Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Then add the fresh spinach leaves and grated parmesan cheese, stirring until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts into the sauce.
- Combine Shrimp and Simmer: Return the seared shrimp to the skillet, stirring gently to coat them in the sauce. Allow the mixture to simmer on low heat for several minutes, about 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the shrimp are cooked through.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the creamy Tuscan garlic shrimp over your choice of pasta, orzo, couscous, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or coconut cream.
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil can add extra richness; drain if you prefer a less oily sauce.
- If you like more heat, add red pepper flakes during the sauté step.
- Fresh basil adds a lovely aroma; if unavailable, substitute with dried basil or parsley.
- Can be served with gluten-free pasta or cauliflower mash to keep it gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 195 mg
