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–+ servings
Shrimp Carbonara

Shrimp Carbonara

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Restaurant-quality pasta made right at home in 25 minutes. Not to mention the creamy sauce with crisp bacon and tender-juicy shrimp!
4.9 stars (13 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces bucatini*
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
  • ¼ cup half and half*, or more, as needed
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Add garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Season shrimp with basil, oregano, salt and pepper, to taste. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in cream cheese, half and half and peas until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
  • Stir in pasta and bacon.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.

Notes

*Spaghetti or linguini can be substituted.
*Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.