Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Linguine: The Restaurant-Quality Pasta You Can Make in 25 Minutes

If you love pasta dishes that feel luxurious but don’t require complicated cooking, Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Linguine is about to become your new go-to. Imagine plump, perfectly seasoned shrimp nestled in a rich parmesan cream sauce infused with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herbs, and wilted spinach — all tossed with silky linguine. It’s the kind of dish you’d expect to order at a candlelit restaurant, yet it comes together right in your own kitchen in less time than it takes to choose a movie.

This recipe hits every note: creamy, savory, comforting, and beautifully balanced with the slight sweetness of shrimp and the tanginess of sun-dried tomatoes. Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner, hosting friends, or simply feeding your craving for comforting Italian-inspired pasta, this dish never fails to impress.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Linguine

1. Ready in under 30 minutes

No complicated steps — perfect for weeknights.

2. Shrimp cooks lightning fast

You get restaurant-quality protein with minimal effort.

3. A sauce that tastes gourmet

Garlic, cream, parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes come together for an irresistible flavor.

4. Balanced but indulgent

The spinach lightens the richness of the sauce, making it satisfying without being too heavy.

5. Uses simple, accessible ingredients

This recipe looks fancy but doesn’t require specialty items.

What Is Tuscan-Style Sauce?

“Tuscano” or “Tuscan-style” dishes have become wildly popular in modern Italian-American cooking. They’re known for:

• creamy parmesan-based sauces
• garlic and herbs
• leafy greens like spinach or kale
• sun-dried tomatoes
• rich yet balanced flavors

This pasta takes those iconic ingredients and pairs them with shrimp and linguine for a velvety coastal twist that tastes like an Italian vacation.

Ingredients

For the Pasta

• 12 ounces linguine
• Salt, for pasta water

For the Shrimp

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Creamy Tuscan Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the linguine.
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Season and cook the shrimp.
   Pat shrimp dry and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear shrimp 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté aromatics.
   In the same skillet, melt butter. Add onions and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add sun-dried tomatoes.
   Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute.
5. Build the creamy sauce.
   Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir in Italian seasoning and parmesan. Simmer over medium heat until thickened, 3–4 minutes.
6. Add spinach.
   Stir in spinach until wilted and creamy. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper.
7. Combine pasta and shrimp.
   Add cooked linguine and shrimp to the sauce, tossing gently. If needed, add splashes of reserved pasta water until silky and glossy.
8. Serve.
   Garnish with fresh basil, extra parmesan, or cracked black pepper.

Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Linguine

A luxurious pasta dish featuring tender shrimp tossed in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

Calories: 610

Ingredients

  

Pasta

• 12 oz linguine
• salt for pasta water

Shrimp

• 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Creamy Tuscan Sauce

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

• Large pot
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Cutting board

Method

 

1. Cook linguine in salted water until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
2. Season shrimp with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sear in olive oil until pink, then remove.
3. In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté onion for 3 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add sun-dried tomatoes.
5. Pour in heavy cream and broth, then stir in parmesan and Italian seasoning. Simmer 3–4 minutes.
6. Stir in spinach until wilted. Season to taste.
7. Toss cooked linguine and shrimp into the sauce, adding pasta water as needed.
8. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.

Notes

For extra flavor, add crushed red pepper or use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes with some of the infused oil.

Tips for the Best Tuscan Shrimp Pasta

Use freshly grated parmesan

It melts smoother and adds richer flavor.

Don’t overcook shrimp

Shrimp cook incredibly fast — remove as soon as they turn pink.

Salt your pasta water well

This flavors the linguine from the inside out.

Adjust sauce thickness with pasta water

Adding a little at a time gives you that perfect restaurant-style glossy sauce.

Use high-quality sun-dried tomatoes

Oil-packed varieties offer the best texture and flavor.

Variations

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Linguine

Replace shrimp with sliced chicken breast.

Tuscan Salmon Pasta

Use pan-seared salmon chunks instead of shrimp.

Veggie Tuscan Pasta

Add mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, or artichokes.

Spicy Tuscan Shrimp

Mix in Calabrian chili paste or red pepper flakes.

Serving Suggestions

Pair with:

• garlic bread
• Caesar salad
• sautéed asparagus
• roasted broccoli
• crisp white wine

This is the kind of pasta that becomes an instant favorite.

How to Store & Reheat

Refrigerate:
Up to 3 days.

Reheat:
Gently warm with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce.

Freezing:
Not recommended — cream sauces tend to separate.

Fun Fact

“Tuscan” dishes make heavy use of sun-dried tomatoes because historically they were a method to preserve tomatoes year-round. Today, they add instant richness and depth to pasta sauces like this one.