A FIVE STAR restaurant quality dinner with shrimp, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and wilted spinach in a thick and rich parmesan cream sauce to die for !
If you want to treat yourself to a restaurant worthy dinner at home then this is your recipe!
As fancy as this Tuscan Shrimp recipe looks, let me be the first to tell you that it is on your plate in 15 minutes. I don’t know of many recipes that can say that and be as stellar in flavor as this one is.
WHAT IS TUSCAN?
Tuscan food is based on the old premise of “poor cooking”. They are simple meals, with simple ingredients that could feed many. They use the most fresh and in season ingredients found within the Tuscan region of Italy.
The principle still holds true today, but more for traditional sentimental reasons than economic.
This is a very simple dish that begins by:
- Cooking your shrimp until they turn pink.
- Sautéing the onions and garlic and spices. Adding the broth. Adding the sundried tomatoes and peppers.
- Add heavy cream and parmesan cheese and let simmer until it starts to thicken.
- Add the spinach and cook until it starts to wilt and then add the shrimp back to the sauce.
It’s really that simple and that quick !
Why do I use heavy cream?
- The first reason is there is no added sugar in heavy cream. It is just that, cream. There is sugar in both milk and half and half. 13 grams per cup of milk.
- Heavy cream is also thicker, so if you were to use milk or half and half you would need to add a thickener such as cornstarch or flour. This way people with gluten issues can make this dish too.
If you are cutting back on carbs you can eat this Tuscan Shrimp dish with a side of roasted asparagus or if you are a carb lover, serve it over some pasta, some garlic bread and a salad.
“Mangiamo !”
PrintCreamy Garlic Shrimp with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Organic Butter
- 1 pound Wild Caught Shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ Cup Organic Onion, diced
- 6 Cloves Organic Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ Cup Organic Chicken Broth (or white wine)
- 5 oz Jarred Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 Roasted Red Pepper (from jar) cut in strips
- 1 ¾ cups Organic Heavy Cream
- ⅔ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3 Cups Organic Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter and add the shrimp. Let the shrimp cook for 2 minutes until they get a little golden color and then flip. Cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the oil to the pan and add the onion. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes to soften. Season liberally with salt and pepper to help the onion sweat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the Italian spices and parsley.
- Turn up the heat and add the broth (or wine) scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the broth to reduce a little.
- Add the sundried tomatoes and roasted red pepper. Cook for another minute or two while stirring. Reduce the heat.
- Add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and let the cheese melt. Do not boil. Add the spinach, stir to combine and continue to simmer until the spinach wilts. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Add the shrimp back into the pan
Thoughts on adding the shrimp after I make the sauce so the shrimp will be infused with the flavors? I would add the cheese and spinach last. Making this evening.
I didn’t cook pasta but served with asparagus. It would be fantastic over pasta. Will make it again but put it over pasta
★★★★★
This looks delicious. I am planning to make this for my mother’s birthday this Friday (Nov. 9, 2018) I am having about 8 people. Should I double the recipe for about 2lbs of pasta. Would that be enough sauce for the pasta.
Linda if you doubled the amount of pasta you would need to double the amount of sauce the recipe calls for. let me know how it works out.
The best part about this meal is that it is made in under 30 minutes and tastes like it came out of a five-star restaurant. The shrimp cook in just a matter of minutes and the creamy sauce on top is to die for.