I found the inspiration for this recipe for Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce over pasta in a Southern Living magazine over 25 years ago. It combines three of my favorite things – shrimp (my all time favorite food), pasta, & roasted red peppers into one amazing dish. Combine that with being quick and easy and this recipe is a winner!

Shopping Tip

When shopping for shrimp, wild caught will have a better taste and the fresher, the better. Living in Colorado, finding really fresh shrimp or even wild caught shrimp can be a challenge. Sadly, as you can see in the picture below, some days it just doesn’t happen. But, I don’t let that misfortune deter me from making Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce over pasta when my family asks for it.

Cooking Tips

Even when I can’t find fresh or wild caught, I always buy easy to peel shrimp. The difference between easy to peel and what I call regular shrimp is easy to peel has been split and deveined. It is very important to devein shrimp because what is called a “vein” is actually the shrimp’s intestinal tract and the gritty substance inside it is, well, poop. If you buy shrimp that has not already been deveined, you will need to do it yourself. Allow extra time to do this because it is messy and can take a while if you have purchased smaller shrimp. The smaller the shrimp, the harder it is to devein.

When peeling shrimp to serve in a pasta dish, remove the tails.

Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 lbs shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 3 cloves garlic
• 12 oz linguine
• 1/2 Tbsp dry basil or 1 Tbsp fresh basil
• 1/2 Tbsp dry parsley or 1 Tbsp fresh parsley

Step 1:

Preheat oven broiler on high.

Cut the top off of red peppers. Cut in half & remove seeds & white fibers. Place on a baking sheet that has been covered with foil. Flatten peppers with palm of hand.

Place peppers under broiler until blackened & blistered. Remove from oven & place in ziploc bag. Seal bag & set aside to cool. The heat from the peppers will cause the air in the bag to expand & condensation will form as the peppers cool.

Step 2:

While peppers are under the broiler, remove shells & veins from shrimp, if needed. Place in colander & rinse. Set aside.

Step 3:

Bring water to a boil for the pasta. Cook according to package directions.

Step 4:

While pasta is cooking, remove peppers from bag. Remove loosened skins from peppers.

Place peppers, cream cheese, chicken broth, cayenne pepper, & garlic cloves in blender. Blend until smooth & pour into skillet.

Step 5:

Cook cream sauce over medium to medium high heat until bubbly.

Add shrimp to pan & cook 3-7 minutes until cooked through but not overcooked. Cook time will depend on the size of your shrimp. You’ll want to gently stir to make sure that the shrimp cook evenly.

Step 6:

When shrimp is cooked, add cooked pasta, basil, & parsley. Add salt to taste. Stir gently until sauce is evenly covering pasta.

Serve with salad or steamed vegetables.

If I serve a dessert with Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce over pasta, I usually choose something light like Pineapple Woolworth No Bake Cheesecake.