Shells Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Shells Shrimp and Garlic Pasta comes from a very popular Florida restaurant chain. This is one of their most requested recipes. This is a quick and easy dish to make at home.

a skillet of garlic shrimp pasta


Easy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Anyone can make this recipe at home. One taste and you’ll want to put this on your weekly menu. Do you enjoy recipe videos? I made one of this recipe so you can see how to make it. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the video and watch it.

A Popular Shells restaurant recipe

Shells is a very popular Florida restaurant chain renowned for its great seafood in a casual setting. This delicious shrimp pasta dish is one of their most requested pasta recipes. Many of us don’t live near Shells, but you can make this classic dish at home.

Succulent shrimp in a creamy wine and garlicky sauce pairs nicely with linguine. It’s quick and easy, and dinner will be ready in no time.

In this dish, the pasta is clearly present. But you won’t feel like you’re eating a giant heap of mostly linguine with a few scarce shrimp dotted sparsely about as though they’ve been rationed.

When you make this shrimp and pasta recipe, you’ll feel like a chef in a fancy restaurant. Even though what you’re actually doing is just cooking noodles and enjoying a little wine.

This pasta recipe is ideal for all kinds of occasions. Maybe you just need a simple meal for a weeknight (always!)? Perhaps you plan to prepare dinner for that special someone? This is the perfect dish for that February holiday that begins with a “V” and ends in chocolate!

You can reuse this garlic sauce on other seafood pasta recipes. It’s a classic and will go with lobster and crab too.

Ingredients

  • Linguine pasta
  • Butter
  • Shrimp
  • White wine
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Heavy Cream
  • Soy Sauce
shrimp, garlic, cream, and pasta

How to Make Garlic Shrimp Pasta

  1. Add the linguine and butter to a pot of salted boiling water and cook until almost al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine wine, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, heavy cream, and soy sauce.
  3. Stir in the shrimp then add the linguine.
  4. Stir gently for a few minutes until the shrimp are done and the linguine is fully cooked.

Do not overdo the soy sauce

Be very careful with the soy sauce. You only need two dashes for the entire pan. But don’t skip it either. You might think, “oh just two dashes? I’ll just leave it out.” But the soy sauce adds the depth and saltiness that makes it taste like the sauce from Shells Restaurant.

Can You Use Frozen Shrimp?

Many people keep frozen shrimp on hand as a staple, so you don’t have to be a seafood purist. You can buy frozen raw shrimp with the tails, shells, and veins removed, and save yourself oodles of time.

Frozen shrimp thaw quickly and cook in less than four minutes. Also, unless you live near the ocean, the “fresh” shrimp you buy at the supermarket has usually arrived frozen and are then thawed prior to being sold.

What type of pasta can you use?

If you want the garlic shrimp pasta to taste like the one from Shells Restaurant, then use linguine noodles. If you don’t have linguine noodles. you can use fettucini noodles instead. I’ve seen recipes use angel hair pasta too. Feel free to be creative and try different types of pasta and see which you like best.

How long do you cook shrimp?

This depends on whether you buy raw or pre-cooked shrimp. Raw shrimp usually takes about 5 minutes to fully cook. You will know it’s cooked all the way when it is nice and pink, like in my pictures.

Recommended Tools

  • I love a pot with a removable strainer insert. It makes draining the pasta easy.
  • You can use a knife to finely chop the garlic, but a garlic press makes the job much easier.
a skillet filled with shrimp and garlic pasta

More Shrimp and Pasta Recipes

Popular Shellfish Recipes

Be sure to check out more of my easy seafood recipes and the best copycat pasta recipes.

Let me know what your favorite shrimp pasta dish is. I love hearing from my readers.

a skillet of garlic shrimp pasta

Shells Shrimp and Garlic Pasta

Shells Shrimp and Garlic Pasta is soo good. This shrimp pasta is so deliciously doable that you can cook it with confidence and success.
4.96 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Seafood
Keyword: Shrimp
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 704kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces linguine
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound shrimp — cleaned and halved
  • 1/2 cup Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry White Wine
  • 8 cloves garlic — crushed
  • 2 dashes soy sauce
    DO NOT OVERDO
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the linguine and butter to a pot of salted boiling water and cook until almost al dente. Drain and set aside. 
  • In a large saucepan, combine the wine, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, heavy cream and soy sauce. Stir in the shrimp then add the linguine. Over medium-high heat, stir gently for a few minutes until the shrimp are done and the linguine is fully cooked. 
  • Serve immediately. This dish will seem a little runny at first but will set up and turn into a wonderful sauce. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 309mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1285IU | Vitamin C: 4.8mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 2.3mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy

    FYI I’ve been making this for years and I recommend as someone else did to make it ahead of time and it’s really important to let it sit so it can thicken! Cuz this recipe comes out super runny if you don’t let it thicken! Either that or make it the day before then refrigerate it and then rewarm it up! It’s amazing after that! We always look forward to the leftover the day after! I also agree with the person who said add blackening or even tony catchers Cajun seasoning! Just my two cents it’s my fav pasta dish to serve my hubby and friends and family who always love it! With a side salad and garlic bread wala! Delish!!

  2. Faisal

    As mentioned, the substitution of chicken broth also does work well. I recommend adding 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan to thicken the sauce at the very end. Shrimp should only need to be cooked about 7-8 minutes. I also add a heavy dose of black pepper, otherwise the sauce can be a bit bland. Parsley is key, so don’t forget to mince it up and stir in once you’ve combined the sauce and pasta.

  3. Mr Slap n Tickle

    I worked prep at shells many years ago…the main difference at this restaurant was that when linguine was cooked in the am, it was marinated…yes marinated..and then portioned out until night service. If I remember correctly, marinate was basically extra Virginia olive oil, beef base, garlic, wine. We used to eat this stuff as is, the marinate was so yummy. (This recipe tries to replicate by adding garlic, evoo, wine, salt, pepper at the sauté, but you just can’t beat that marinate getting into the pasta. I also believe maggi seasoning used, not soy sauce. /////. If you’re going to do it this way, I’d recommend a quick, hot sauté of shrimp, garlic and half the oil recommended here. Remove the shrimp, THEN add the linguine, splash the wine, deglaze, add maggi and reduce heat…then add cream and cook for 5-10 minutes….Then add shrimp for last 30 sec to warm but not overcook,

  4. Amber Rose

    I’ve never been to Shells, so I can’t compare. I can say that I tried this tonight, played the video while cooking (SUPER HELPFUL please continue to video!) and it was wonderful. I’m trying to cook more and eat out less. My son asked me for shrimp pasta tonight and this is what I found googling and I’m now a fan of your site. Thanks for putting delicious recipes up!

    • Stephanie

      Amber, I am so glad you and your son enjoyed the video and the recipe. It is always a big win when you can make a meal that your whole family enjoys. I hope you try more recipes.

  5. Kelly Ann Sandland

    I have this dish at least once a week and with gluten free pasta and coconut milk as opposed to cream. When I used cream and regular pasta I could not tell the difference between mine and Shells restaurant. This is a great recipe and if you are going to knock it why not tell us what is different Answerman70???see more
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  6. Dawner

    pretty darn close to Shells Shrimp Pasta; especially if you let it all sit together off the heat for a good 20 minutes to let the sauce set up; the longer the better. I also added some grated Parmesan cheese and tossed it before serving. Looking forward to leftovers!

    • jym buss

      While I am sure it is a personal taste I would never recommend adding parmesean to this dish – it will drastically change the flavor and silky texture. Absolutely not. If you did it right the sauce will set up on the way to the dinner table. leaves a beautiful sheen on the pasta. I ate at the Original Shells on Dale Mabry in Tampa for years. I know this dish and the shrimp dibble and Shrimp Mezzo Mezzo very well. Their onion rings were awesome too! Miss this place terribly but this is the closest recipe to the real thing. Shrimp should go in last – they take 4 mins or less depending on your heat. ( one trick I like to do is pre-grill or pan sear/blacken the shrimp and undercook – you can store them in the fridge till you are ready and toss them in at the last minute – the char adds so much flavor – just ate it tonite!

      • Dennie

        That sounds great imma try this recipe first…. quick question so you marinate the noodles after you cook them ???

      • Bennita

        Tampa has reopened Shells. Fantastic food! Love the shrimp pasta and their clam chowder is fantastic! If you get to Tampa don’t miss this place!

      • Amanda

        Im dying to get the mezzo mezzo recipe! I used to work there and it was my fav! I found this looking for it lol

      • Cheryl B Perry

        You will be happy to know the Shells on Dale Mabry has reopened at the same location they were in many years ago. Was there last weekend and things were so near the past it was amazing.

  7. Cyndi

    I worked at Shell’s in south Florida as a waitress in college. This and the coconut lobster bites they used to have were my favorite dishes. I’ve ordered this pasta literally hundreds of times over the years and this recipe (though the technique may differ from how they actually made it) is spot on!!! I agree that the shrimp don’t take ten minutes, so I throw those in last.

    But all in all a great copycat recipe!!!

  8. Ban2Fab4

    This was my favorite dish at Shells. I made this dish and really enjoyed it but I used different measurements on the pasta and shrimp. I used a pound of linguine and a pound and a half of shrimp. Also, sprinkle some parsley flakes on the finished dish – it was wonderful.

  9. Answerman70

    I worked with Shells seafood restaurant for many years, your recipe is somewhat close but not quite there. The worst offense is cooking for 10 min. This will ruin the shrimp. Many other mistakes, but good try.

  10. Answerman70

    I worked with Shells seafood restaurant for many years, your recipe is somewhat close but not quite there. The worst offense is cooking for 10 min. This will ruin the shrimp. Many other mistakes, but good try.

    • Chrissygirl

      Hi Ansewrman70, What about a recipe for their langostino pasta with lobster cream sauce. Can you help me with that? Would love to make for my husbands father.
      Thanks so much if you can help. Grazti

    • KarenAnn

      Answerman70…if you can take the time to point out what you think isn’t right about this recipe, you should take the time to explain what IS…good try at a critique though!

    • Kelly Ann Sandland

      I have this dish at least once a week and with gluten free pasta and coconut milk as opposed to cream. When I used cream and regular pasta I could not tell the difference between mine and Shells restaurant. This is a great recipe and if you are going to knock it why not tell us what is different???

    • Kelly Ann Sandland

      I have this dish at least once a week and with gluten free pasta and coconut milk as opposed to cream. When I used cream and regular pasta I could not tell the difference between mine and Shells restaurant. This is a great recipe and if you are going to knock it why not tell us what is different???

  11. GrammyMAC

    I have been looking for this recipe for so long! I loved this pasta at Shells. We went there every time we were in Florida, and I got it every time. I have tried several times to recreate it, but it was never the same. I will try this very soon!

  12. GrammyMAC

    I have been looking for this recipe for so long! I loved this pasta at Shells. We went there every time we were in Florida, and I got it every time. I have tried several times to recreate it, but it was never the same. I will try this very soon!

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