Creamy Garlic Tuscan Shrimp

Creamy Garlic Tuscan Shrimp has a garlic parmesan sauce and filled with tomatoes and spinach. This quick restaurant quality dish made at home is served over pasta or enjoyed alone for a low carb and keto meal.

tuscan shrimp on a wooden spoon with text

Creamy Garlic Tuscan Shrimp

This right here is a meal that I love to make time and again. It just might be my all time favourite shrimp recipe. As a bonus, the kids love it as well!

Yet don’t let this restaurant-style dish fool you. You can have this ready and on the table in 30 minutes. Impressive right? Shhh, I won’t tell anyone you didn’t spend all day in the kitchen to make it.

While this isn’t a traditional tuscan recipe, it’s so darn close. Y’all know I love my tomato and spinach tuscan combination. This is evidenced by my Stuffed Tuscan Chicken, which bursts with flavour in every bite.

tuscan shrimp dish in a skillet

Then there’s my Tuscan Barley Soup. It’s a hearty, filling and tasteful soup recipe that is so great on cool evenings. This one features sausage for a change.

So while I love my Grilled Shrimp Foil Packs, I do make this one pot shrimp dinner more often, simply because the sauce is so rich and creamy. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a full-flavour Italian dish with a creamy sauce.

This creamy tuscan shrimp recipe is loved by our whole family. It has a great flavor that is perfect for busy nights to special occasions. This recipe has become one of our favorite ways to enjoy shrimp. If you already have cooked pasta on hand, it’s also a one-skillet meal!


How to Make Tuscan Shrimp Recipe

You’ll need the following handful of ingredients to make this creamy tuscan garlic shrimp recipe. The full detailed instructions are below in the printable recipe card.

  • olive oil
  • frozen shrimp or fresh shrimp
  • unsalted butter
  • cloves garlic
  • grape tomatoes
  • fresh spinach
  • half and half cream or heavy cream
  • tomato paste
  • red pepper flakes
  • parmesan cheese
  • Italian seasoning
  • fresh basil
  • lemon wedges, lemon juice serving
  • ground black pepper, if desired
  • optional: cooked bacon

To Make: Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Let the shrimp cook until golden and curled, making sure not to overcook. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

If you are making pasta to go with this dish, now is the time to cook as per package directions as well. Add butter to the skillet and when melted, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add in cherry tomatoes and season with pepper if desired. When tomatoes begin to burst and shrivel, add in the baby spinach and cook until they are starting to wilt. Stir in the half and half cream, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, parmesan, Italian seasoning and basil. Mix the creamy tuscan sauce well, bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes.

Return shrimp to the skillet and add in the cooked bacon pieces {optional}. Cook until shrimp has heated through again.

Serve over pasta if you wish. This can also be served alone or on top of cauliflower rice, to make a delicious low carb meal. I also like to add a side of crusty bread.

tuscan shrimp on a wooden spoon being lifted from a skillet

Tips for Making This Recipe

I don’t add salt to this recipe because I find the shrimp I’ve been buying is salty enough. So, when cooked, taste and adjust the seasonings as required.

I also buy jumbo uncooked shrimp and take the tails off when unthawed and before cooking. You could leave the tails on, yet know that’s more work required when eating. Plus, there’s the chance one could fall off when cooking, and that’s no fun for guests to hunt for.

I find that the larger the shrimp, the better for this recipe. So leave the small ones for another recipe and get the jumbos.

In the recipe below, I also mention the option of adding in some cooked bacon pieces. While it does take this recipe to the next level. Because, bacon. Obviously.

It’s sometimes a step I don’t feel up to taking on, so I say it’s optional in this dish. It’s a very good recipe without … unless bacon is a necessity and not an option for you, and in that case – go for it!

Also, I’ve been known to double this recipe quite often. We have the habit of devouring every last morsel, and then I crave more the next day as leftovers. So, I’ve learned that more is merrier with this recipe.

This is also a simple recipe to make. Yes, simple meals can result in massive taste.

shrimp and pasta in a white bowl on a table

Recipe FAQ’s

What Do you Serve with Tuscan Shrimp?

Absolutely you can! Make the simple swap and this recipe becomes a creamy tuscan chicken dinner!

Tuscan Shrimp served alone is a wonderful low carb and keto meal. It’s anything but bland and anyone looking to reduce their carbs will rejoice about an option that is so flavourful.

You can also serve this over thin pasta like angel hair or spaghettini. This is how I made this dish most times.

Yet I’d also suggest making some garlic toast or breadsticks, to soak up that wonderful sauce. You will want to enjoy it all, trust me.

shrimp and pasta in a white bowl on a table

Can You Make this with Chicken Instead?

Absolutely you can! Make the simple swap and this recipe becomes a Tuscan Chicken dinner!

How Long Will Leftovers Keep? 

This recipe is great for using as leftovers. It’ll keep in an airtight container for 3 days. Yet this isn’t a recipe you can make, freeze and enjoy later. The sauce will separate and it just won’t taste as good so I don’t suggest it.

When re-heating this dish, do so in a skillet on the stove. Just a few minutes to get everything warm again will do. Yet make sure you don’t heat it up too long or the shrimp will become chewy and tough.


tuscan shrimp and pasta on a fork being lifted from a white bowl

If you were drawn to this delicious dish because it sounds like something served at the Olive Garden, you are so right!

If that’s the case, you’ll love my copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup. YUM!

For those that adore seafood and fish, check out our Easy Pan Seared Lemon Salmon recipe.

For More Easy Shrimp Recipes:

tuscan shrimp on a wooden spoon being lifted from a skillet

Creamy Garlic Tuscan Shrimp

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Creamy Garlic Tuscan Shrimp has a garlic parmesan sauce and filled with tomatoes and spinach. This quick restaurant quality dish made at home is served over pasta or enjoyed alone for a low carb and keto meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled deveined and tails removed
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 3.5 cups baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup half and half cream
  • 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 basil, thinly sliced
  • lemon wedges for serving
  • ground pepper, if desired
  • optional: 6 sliced cooked bacon, chopped

Instructions

  1. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook shrimp until golden and curled, making sure not to overcook. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
  2. If you are making pasta to go with this dish, now is the time to cook as per package directions as well.
  3. Add butter to the skillet and when melted, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add in cherry tomatoes and season with pepper if desired. When tomatoes begin to burst and shrivel, add in the baby spinach and cook until they are starting to wilt.
  5. Stir in the half and half cream, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, parmesan, Italian seasoning and basil. Mix well, bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes.
  6. Return shrimp to the skillet and add in the cooked bacon pieces {optional}. Cook until shrimp has heated through again.
  7. Serve over pasta if you wish or alone for a low carb meal.

Notes

  • - There is no salt in this recipe as the shrimp I purchase seems salty enough that more is not needed. When cooked, taste and add more seasoning if required.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 446Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 295mgSodium: 1592mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 36g

Did you make this recipe?

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tuscan shrimp and pasta on a fork with text

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