You will also love my Chicken Alfredo – Creamy Chicken Pasta and Tuscan Shrimp and Scallops Recipe

Two bowls of creamy Tuscan shrimp pasta with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes sit on a white table beside a glass of ice, chopped herbs on a small plate, a striped napkin, and a bottle of sparkling water.

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I can’t believe it has taken me nearly six whole years before I shared this recipe for creamy Tuscan shrimp linguine! It is one of my all-time favourite easy meals and we eat it indecently often…

Tuscan shrimp pasta requires very few ingredients: garlic, shallot, butter, shrimp (prawns), sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.

Despite the scant ingredients, it tastes incredibly delicious, especially with linguine tossed right in the sauce to absorb all the lovely flavors.

Creamy, garlicky and utterly delicious Tuscan shrimp pasta

I have opted NOT to add cheese in this recipe, shocking I know, but if you are a fan then a little grated Parmesan wouldn’t go amiss.

You could also vary the recipe and use salmon fillets instead of the shrimp or even chicken breast strips. If you have fussy children who regard sun-dried tomatoes with suspicion, you could replace these with bacon lardons.

But I have to say, even though I am not normally a big sun-dried tomato fan and they certainly seem to have fallen from grace lately, they really work in this dish.

A bowl of creamy Tuscan shrimp pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and herbs, garnished with grated cheese, sits on a plate with a fork. Other similar plates and a dish of chopped parsley are nearby.

How to Make Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Linguine

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Heat a little olive oil in a large casserole dish and cook the garlic over medium-low heat. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes, only until they start turning pink. Use a slotted spoon to set the shrimp aside but don’t clean the pan.

Pour a splash of cider or stock to deglaze the pan and then add some unsalted butter. Simmer until butter starts to foam and then add the shallot. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until it softens.
Add the diced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a minute before adding the cream. Stir in the shrimp and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat – be warned that if the heat is too high the cream will separate.

Add a large handful of spinach and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts. Stir in the cooked pasta, tossing to coat in the sauce. Add a little lemon zest, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Add a splash or cream or water when reheating the pasta to loosen the sauce. This recipe is not suitable for freezing as the creamy texture will degrade if frozen.
Be careful not to overcook the shrimp as they can turn tough and rubbery. They will turn pink as they cook and curl into a “C” shape – once that happens you can take them off the heat.
Prawns vs shrimp: these tasty crustaceans look almost identical but they are in fact different species. You can use large or jumbo shrimp or prawns in this recipe – their taste and texture is the same.