Easy, quick and comforting Shrimp Alfredo made with a lighter and healthier sauce and added bacon and peas. So delicious and perfect for busy weeknights!
Easy dinner alert—you can get this shrimp alfredo on the table in less than half an hour without breaking a sweat! Fast-cooking shrimp are a fantastic weeknight protein, and they get nice layers of flavor from the bacon and garlic in this recipe. I chose smoked mozzarella to back up the smoky hint from the bacon, but feel free to use regular mozzarella or fontina cheese.
How I Make this Shrimp Alfredo Lighter
This Shrimp Alfredo is just as creamy and comforting as your regular Alfredo dishes but is so much lighter and healthier and I do this by making a few simple ingredient swaps.
Instead of cream I’ve used a mix of reduced-fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt. They both give a delicious cheesy tang to the dish whilst still keeping it creamy and comforting.
By choosing reduced-fat options there’s a huge difference in fat and calories so you can enjoy this comfort food meal totally guilt free!
How to Make Shrimp Alfredo
- Prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, add bacon. Heat over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in skillet.
- Add shrimp, garlic, salt, and pepper to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cheeses; stir until smooth. Stir in peas and zest.
- Reduce heat to low; add pasta in batches, stirring to gently to combine; add pasta water a little at a time to thin sauce, if needed. Remove from heat; stir in Greek yogurt. Top servings with reserved bacon, if desired.
The Best Shrimp to Use – Fresh or Frozen?
I use large fresh shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. If you can get your hands on fresh shrimp then I recommend using them for the best flavor. You can also use frozen shrimp for this recipe they’ll work just as well and it’s great to have them stored in your freezer for a last minute dinner recipe!
How to Devein Shrimp
Deveining shrimp is very easy, once you’ve peeled the shrimp you’ll want to make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp with a knife. You’ll see a black line and that’s what you want to remove. Remove it by scraping your knife gently along the back and that’s it!
Top Tips for Making the Best Shrimp Alfredo
- You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe just make sure they are thawed if frozen and peeled and deveined before use.
- To make this Alfredo extra light use reduced fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt. I like to use 4% Greek yogurt for the best balance of consistency and flavor.
- If you can’t get smoked mozzarella you can use regular mozzarella or fontina cheese.
- I recommend using a long dried pasta shape for this recipe such as fettuccine or linguine.
- The fresh lemon zest really brings out the flavors of this dish and gives it a delicious freshness so don’t skip it if possible.
- You can store leftovers in the fridge for around 1-2 days and it can be eaten cold but I recommend serving this immediately for best results.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes You Might Like:
Shrimp Alfredo with Bacon and Peas
Ingredients
- 8 oz. dried pasta such as linguini
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 lb. fresh shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 cup grated smoked mozzarella cheese
- 4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1/4 cup 4% fat Greek yogurt such as Fage
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, add bacon. Heat over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in skillet.
- Add shrimp, garlic, salt, and pepper to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cheeses; stir until smooth. Stir in peas and zest.
- Reduce heat to low; add pasta in batches, stirring to gently to combine; add pasta water a little at a time to thin sauce, if needed. Remove from heat; stir in Greek yogurt.
- Top servings with reserved bacon, if desired.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe just make sure they are thawed if frozen and peeled and deveined before use.
- To make this Alfredo extra light use reduced fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt. I like to use 4% Greek yogurt for the best balance of consistency and flavor.
- If you can't get smoked mozzarella you can use regular mozzarella or fontina cheese.
- I recommend using a long dried pasta shape for this recipe such as fettuccine or linguine.
- The fresh lemon zest really brings out the flavors of this dish and gives it a delicious freshness so don't skip it if possible.
- You can store leftovers in the fridge for around 1-2 days and it can be eaten cold but I recommend serving this immediately for best results.
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