Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo

5 from 360 votes

This Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo is an easy pasta recipe tossed in a flavorful creamy lightened up garlic alfredo sauce that's made with no cream

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There’s so much to love about this Broccoli Shrimp Pasta Alfredo; it’s creamy, filling and full of lots of flavor. The pan seared garlicky shrimp adds protein, the bright green steamed broccoli adds fiber and the creamy sauce just brings the whole dish together wonderfully.

Broccoli shrimp pasta alfredo served in a large bowl
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Ingredients & substitutions

  • Pasta: Use rotini or fusilli pasta for this dish as pictured here or any other pasta of choice works too.
  • Broccoli: Broccoli is a great source of fiber and protein as well as lots of vitamins, minerals and folic acid.
  • Butter: You can use either salted or unsalted butter, just adjust the level of added salt to your taste.
  • Seasonings: Salt, pepper and garlic – very simple which is standard for alfredo sauces.
  • Flour: To thicken the sauce. You can use all-purpose flour or a gluten-free 1:1 flour.
  • Milk: For a creamy sauce without too many calories and fat from heavy cream.
  • Cheese: Use a mix of cream cheese and parmesan for a cheesy alfredo sauce.
Ingredients to make the recipe

How to make broccoli shrimp alfredo

  1. Cook the pasta and drain. Make sure to save some pasta water.
  2. Steam the broccoli and toss with the pasta. Cover and set aside.
  3. Cook the shrimp in butter. Once cooked, add to the pasta and broccoli.
  4. In the same pan, melt the butter with the garlic and stir in the flour. Whisk in the milk and cream cheese.
  5. Pour the sauce over the pasta, broccoli and shrimp.
  6. Stir to combine and top with grated parmesan and black pepper.
6 image collage to show how to make the recipe

Tips to make this recipe

  1. Cook the pasta al dente. It will continue to cook once you’ve drained it, and again when the sauce is added. Be sure to check out my How to Cook Pasta post for tips.
  2. Keep some of the pasta cooking water when you drain it. This will help to thin the alfredo sauce if needed, and the starch will help it coat the pasta well.
  3. Add other cooked vegetables. Broccoli goes so well with alfredo dishes and it shines through here as the featured vegetable but you can easily add other ingredients like mushrooms, zucchini and/or bell peppers.
  4. Add the cheese at the end when making the sauce. The cheese doesn’t need to be cooked, just slightly melted. Overcooking can create a grainy sauce, so make sure to add and only heat for a minute.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use frozen shrimp?

Yes frozen shrimp is actually more fresh than fresh shrimp in many cases. Defrost the shrimp fully and pat dry before seasoning and cooking.

Can you make it ahead of time?

This broccoli shrimp pasta alfredo is best served as soon as it’s made, but if you have leftovers they will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop to warm through to serve.

What do you serve it with?

This shrimp alfredo is a great filling dinner by itself, but it’s great served with an avocado Caprese salad or Greek salad. For a really filling meal, pair it with some garlic bread.

Final cooked broccoli shrimp pasta in a large pan

This broccoli shrimp pasta alfredo is such a great family week night meal. Perfectly creamy and ready to serve in 30 minutes, what’s not to love?!

For more pasta recipes:

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Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo

This Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo is an easy pasta recipe tossed in a flavorful creamy lightened up garlic alfredo sauce that's made with no cream
5 from 360 votes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 600
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces fusilli pasta or pasta of choice
  • 1 head broccoli cut into small florets
  • 2 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled/deveined/tails off
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese plus more for serving

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions; reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water before draining; set aside.
  • Steam the broccoli for 2 minutes until fork tender, and toss with the cooked pasta.
  • In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the heated pan. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until shrimp turns opaque and is fully cooked; toss with the cooked pasta and broccoli.
  • In the same pan, heat the remaining butter, add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add flour, then whisk to combine and cook for 1 additional minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, then cream cheese, then let the sauce simmer uncovered until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and stir well. Add as much reserved pasta water for the desired sauce thickness.
  • Serve with freshly ground pepper and parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Storage: This pasta recipe is best enjoyed straight away, but any leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 600kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 342mg, Sodium: 1493mg, Potassium: 836mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1651IU, Vitamin C: 141mg, Calcium: 424mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Main Course

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I modified by using spiralized zucchini with about 3 ounces of whole wheat linguini, added red pepper. It was wonderful!

  2. Absolutely delicious and so easy and quick to make! This is one of the best pasta recipes I’ve tried and aside from adding some red pepper flakes, I followed the recipe. I used angel hair pasta but any would work fine.

  3. This was our Friday night, Lent observant, dinner last night and it was amazing. We used a small egg noodle, and it was perfect. We loved the Alfredo sauce and the cream cheese made it very creamy. My husband suggested that the next time he may try using another favorite green veggie of ours, asparagus. This recipe is definitely a keeper and would be delightful to serve for company. Thanks for the detailed instructions.

  4. Excellent recipe for Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo. Used linguine noodles.
    It turned out so delicious and had a creamy consistency with the
    rue, milk, cream cheese and parmesan cheese. The tip of saving
    the pasta water gave a finishing touch! Made with dinner and served
    it with Sauvignon Blanc.

  5. What an amazing recipe!!!! It’s easy and really a delicious meal, you won’t regret doing this 😍😍😍😍

  6. I just made this recipe for my lunch the other day, and it turned out great! I love how easy and delicious your recipes are! 😍😍😍

  7. What would you use as a good non dairy alternative for the cream cheese? I typically replace regular milk and butter with oat milk and earth balance but I have never replaced the cream cheese.

    1. Oh, have you tried the Kite Hill or another almond milk based cream cheese. I love theirs even though I eat regular cream cheese. I highly recommend that one!

    2. As a ‘returning’ cook, I find this to be a deliciously forgiving recipe! It allows for learning & adapting on the fly – clap/clap!
      I wanted to make this w/ ingredients I had on hand so I used 6oz canned tiny shrimp and substituted equal amounts of cottage cheese/yogurt for the cream cheese (good choice!!). I also used 2% low fat milk for almond milk and Kraft Parmesan cheese. I eyeballed the broccoli and pasta amounts. Surprise! It turned out really good.
      Going forward I will add 1 tsp of nutmeg to this healthy white sauce as it ‘pops’ what would be otherwise be a”hmmm, something ‘s missing” sauce and will experiment using tuna, salmon or frozen shrimp – but not tiny canned shrimp again AND I will invest in real Parmesan cheese vs Kraft.
      The only drawback is once I hit everything right – I ate nearly the entire recipe in one sitting ((^_^)).
      NOTE: It’s so much easier to experiment when I have a solid recipe and a video, preparing me for success.

      1. That makes me so happy to hear – I love when recipes are forgiving! The nutmeg sounds like a delicious addition, let me know how that goes!

  8. The Alfredo was PERFECT. I added some grated Parmesan to really thicken it and it turned out so well. I also doubled the batch for 5 hungry people and we had some leftovers. An awesome light but hearty meal!!!