How To Make Tuscan Shrimp

A delectable one-pan 30-minute restaurant-quality dish, Creamy Tuscan Shrimp is certain to become a family favorite! Spinach, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic are the main ingredients in this quick and simple meal. Gluten-free, high in protein, and low in carbohydrates. It’s very simple to make the dish dairy-free.

Tuscan Shrimp

Tuscan shrimp is quick and simple

My family adores shrimp meals with an Italian flair, like a bowl of warm shrimp risotto or a plate of vibrant shrimp pesto pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes and pine nuts. My family and I just added creamy Tuscan shrimp to our list of favorites. This 30-minute one-pan meal has the appearance and flavor of a dinner from a fine-dining establishment.

  • Since freshly seared shrimp typically tastes better than the previously cooked variety, I used big raw shrimp. I liberally sprinkled it with salt, pepper, Italian spice, and smoky paprika.
  • Then, without overcooking it, I rapidly sauteed the shrimp in olive oil with a generous amount of chopped garlic.
  • Then, using the same skillet and loads of vegetables, including spinach, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes, I prepared a garlic Tuscan cream sauce.
  • The Tuscan shrimp has the nicest texture when covered in a smooth cream sauce; it is juicy and soft without being overdone or rubbery.
Tuscan Shrimp

Why make it

  • 30-minute recipe with one pan. On a hectic weekday, prepare creamy Tuscan shrimp for your family, children, and friends! You’ll fall in love with this easy, fast supper since it’s so warm, soothing, and savory.
  • presentation and food of a restaurant-quality. This one-pan dinner has a fine-dining flavor to it! On hectic weekdays, it is simple to prepare, yet elegant enough to amaze your guests.
  • gluten-free, high in protein, and low in carbs. Serve Tuscan shrimp over roasted or steamed veggies, including broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or Brussels sprouts, to maintain its low-carb and gluten-free status. Over roasted spaghetti squash or zoodles (spiralized zucchini), you may also serve this.
  • savory dishes. Serve this creamy shrimp over tortellini, ravioli, or your other pasta to make a sumptuous supper.
Tuscan Shrimp

How to make Tuscan shrimp

  • Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning are used to season the shrimp. This recipe calls for 1 lb of raw, deveined, and peeled shrimp, which typically equals 16 or 20 counts.
  • On medium-high heat, sear the shrimp for two minutes on each side with olive oil and chopped garlic. To prevent steaming, make sure the shrimp are not packed together. Work may need to be done in bunches. Remove the shrimp to a platter when it’s finished cooking.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and spinach are cooked in the same, empty pan.
  • By adding heavy cream to the vegetables in the skillet, you may make the sauce. Add extra smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.
  • To assemble the meal, combine cooked shrimp with the creamy Tuscan sauce. Reheat the mixture until the shrimp are fully cooked and the sauce is warmed through.
Tuscan Shrimp

Can you make it dairy-free?

It’s simple to eliminate the dairy in tuscan shrimp. Here are a few possibilities:

  • Take the recipe exactly as written and use unsweetened coconut milk.
  • Adapt this recipe by substituting thicker cashew milk.
  • Make a slurry with a little flour and olive oil before using any other dairy-free substitutes, including oat or almond milk. Alternately, just add a little bit of flour and a dash of olive oil to the vegetables. While the sauce simmers, gradually whisk in the milk.

Can you use cooked shrimp?

While I prepared the raw shrimp here from scratch, you could also use pre-cooked shrimp and heat the Tuscan cream sauce with it.

What can you use instead of shrimp?

  • Add seared scallops in place of or in addition to the shrimp.
  • The creamy Tuscan sauce goes well with seared fish fillets.
  • Chicken. This dish is ideal for utilizing skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs that have been seared. The same seasonings (smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic) should be used to season it.

Variations

  • Can spinach be used frozen? Although I used fresh spinach, you may use frozen spinach if it has been well thawed and drained of any moisture.
  • What may sun-dried tomatoes be substituted with? Cherry tomatoes cut in half would be the greatest choice. Diced normal fresh tomatoes are the second-best choice. In a pinch, you may use canned chopped or crushed tomatoes that have been mostly juice-drained.
  • Use or include other vegetables. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, kale, or arugula.
  • cheese should be included. To finish the creamy Tuscan shrimp, top with a tiny quantity of grated or shredded Pecorino Romano, Asiago, or Parmesan cheese.
  • At the very end, squeeze in some lemon juice.

Cooking tips

  • Use deveined, peeled, and raw shrimp. Especially when reheated, precooked shrimp may be overdone and taste excessively rubbery.
  • Remove the tails. Instead of pulling the shrimp out of the creamy sauce by the tail, it is simpler and less messy to use a fork and knife to consume the shrimp. Therefore, I advise cutting off the tails.
  • Avoid overcooking shrimp. Only cook it for 2 minutes per side, or until the color turns pink. Nobody enjoys the texture of rubbery shrimp that are overcooked.
  • Use glass jars filled with sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil. Compared to sun-dried tomatoes without olive oil, they are plumper and juicier. Use the olive oil that has been mostly drained to sear the shrimp.
Tuscan Shrimp

Storage and reheating tips

One of those dishes, creamy Tuscan shrimp, doesn’t actually freeze or keep well in the refrigerator. It needs to be consumed immediately. The sauce may lose its consistency and become oily rather than creamy when reheated. If you do have leftovers, consider these suggestions:

  • Fridge. For up to two days, leftover Tuscan shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I advise against freezing it.
  • ways to reheat. In a large, high-sided pan over medium-low heat, reheat the leftovers. When reheating, thin down the sauce by adding a little quantity of water, chicken stock, heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk. Alternately, reheat it for 30 second intervals while stirring often in the microwave.

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Ingredients

Shrimp

Creamy Tuscan sauce

  • 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes chopped (about ¼ cup)
  • 14 oz artichoke hearts drained and chopped (1 can or about 1 cup)
  • 4 oz fresh spinach
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • salt to taste

Instructions 

How to sear the shrimp

  • This recipe uses 1 lb of large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined) which usually means 16 or 20 count. Season the shrimp with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet until hot. Add shrimp and minced garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes per side.
  • Make sure the shrimp are not overcrowded to avoid steaming. You might have to work in batches. Remove from heat. Remove shrimp to a plate.

How to make Tuscan sauce

  • To the same, now empty, skillet, add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped artichokes. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute on medium heat.
  • Add fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts, for a couple of minutes, on medium heat.
  • To the skillet with sautéed vegetables, add 1 cup of heavy cream and paprika. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute, stirring. Season with salt, if needed. Add more paprika, if you like.

Assembly

  • Add seared shrimp to the skillet with the cream sauce.
  • Spoon the sauce over the shrimp, and simmer for about 2 minutes (or more), until the shrimp is warmed up and completely cooked through.
  • Season with salt, if needed.

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