Recipe: Shrimp in Parmesan Garlic Sauce over Pasta

We all love a rich, garlicky, cheesy alfredo sauce, right? Of course! But who wants to feel fatter and more guilty with every bite because of all the calories and fat? Never fear! I found an amazing recipe that is tried and true in our house. You get the rich and creamy without the guilt. I make this with shrimp, but you could use chicken, pork, or any other meat you would like, really. I enjoy how the shrimp marries with the garlic and the rich parmesan, it's almost a no-brainer for me, but there are a lot of people that don't like shrimp, can't eat it, whatever the case may be, so feel free to substitute for what fits your preferences.

Ready? Here's what you will need:

Shrimp in Parmesan Garlic Sauce over Pasta

1 lb. Shrimp (raw, peeled and tails taken off)
Olive oil
1 large or 2 small/medium cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 slice of onion (I use yellow) about 1/4 inch think, chopped fine
Salt, Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pasta of your choice

First, the sauce - it takes longer than the shrimp and you can simmer it while you wait for that to cook.

In a medium sized sauce pan, put the butter and garlic powder over medium heat until melted.



Add flour and cook for one minute. It will be a thick paste.



Add broth and milk, whisking constantly.



Lower heat and allow to simmer, whisking occassionally.

At this point, I usually start the water for my pasta, but depending on what kind you are using (I used to bowtie pasta) and how long it needs to cook. If yo are doing angelhair, thin spaghetti, etc. now would be the time, if you are using something heavier like fettacini, linguini, bowtie, etc., you might want to start before the sauce.

So since we have the sauce going and the water going, now it's on to the shrimp.

In a saute pan, put in some olive oil, and turn the heat to medium high.



At this point, I have my sauce, my water, my saute pan and my steamer started with fresh brocolli, so my stove is going full force!



Once your oil is heated, add in your chopped onion, salt and pepper.



Once the onions have started to cook, add the garlic in, give it a stir and then add your shrimp.



You will know they are done when they turn an orangy color and start to curl... at this point, turn off the heat and set it aside until your pasta is done so that the shrimp doesn't overcook.



Once the pasta is done, go ahead and add the shrimp into the sauce, then add the grated parmesan cheese and fold it all in.



Once its heated all the way through, go ahead and dish up, and enjoy! We chose fresh steamed brocolli to go with this, and I was almost tempted to actually put the brocolli IN the sauce, but was afraid of it getting soggy, so refrained.

My plate - with just sprinkle of shredded parm on top.

Jim's plate with shredded parm and a touch of nutmeg. It brings out amazing flavor!

Enjoy!