Creamy Shrimp and Lemon Pasta. An elegant seafood dish, incredibly fragrant, and ready in less than 30 minutes! The enveloping creaminess of the sauce perfectly complements the sweetness of the shrimp.

Perfect for its freshness, but also great for a Sunday family lunch, a dinner with friends, or a special occasion (with the elegance of a seafood main course).

The real secret? The grated lemon zest (only untreated!) that releases an intoxicating aroma.

Thanks to the addition of cream cheese (like Philadelphia), the dressing achieves sublime harmony and a velvety texture that doesn’t weigh down.

It’s the perfect recipe for a last-minute dinner or to impress your guests with a refined touch, without any effort.

I used versatile Farfalle, but if you’re looking for a more elegant result on your table, try this sauce with Potato Gnocchi or Fresh Tagliatelle! Creaminess is guaranteed.

In the sauté, I used shallots. It adds a more subtle and sophisticated aromatic touch that pairs better with the delicacy of the shrimp and the freshness of the lemon.

It’s generally more digestible than onion, which is appreciated especially if you serve the dish at lunch or during festivities.

If you want to make it more elegant, I suggest replacing the shrimp with Large Shrimp or Langoustines (bigger and meatier). If the budget allows, choose Red Shrimps from Mazara for unparalleled flavor and color.

Here’s mom’s advice…. Use fresh egg Tagliolini (which bind magnificently with the cream) or high-quality Paccheri/Rigatoni. If you choose gnocchi, opt for homemade ones.

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Medium
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 4People
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All Seasons

Ingredients

Creamy Shrimp and Lemon Pasta

11 oz pasta (Farfalle, Gnocchi, Tagliatelle, or Tagliolini)
9 oz cream cheese (you can substitute with the light version)
9 oz shrimp (already peeled and cleaned)
to taste lemon (Grated zest of Organic Lemon)
1/2 to taste lemon (Juice)
1.4 oz shallot (or Onion)
3.4 tbsp dry white wine (for deglazing)
to taste parsley (chopped for dish garnish)
to taste extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

Tools

Pot
Frying Pan
Colander

Steps

Creamy Shrimp and Lemon Pasta

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a pot.
When it reaches a boil, salt it and cook the pasta for the time indicated on the package, remembering to drain it very al dente.
In the meantime, wash the lemon (organic!) and grate the zest (only the yellow part!).
Place the grated zest in a small bowl with the 300 g of Philadelphia and mix to flavor the cheese.
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon, you need little, and finely chop the shallot and parsley.
In a large pan, pour a drizzle of olive oil and the chopped shallot.
Brown the shallot over low heat.
Add the 250 g of shrimp. These must be previously cleaned, with the shell removed and the intestinal vein removed.
Sauté them for about a minute over high heat.
Deglaze with a splash of dry white wine and let the alcohol evaporate completely.
Immediately remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside: it’s essential to avoid overcooking.
Drain the pasta very al dente, and reserve at least a ladle of the cooking water.
Lower the heat to a minimum.
In the pan, pour the cream cheese flavored with lemon zest.
Add the juice of half a lemon and about two tablespoons of the reserved cooking water.
Mix vigorously, using the residual heat from the pan to melt the cheese and create a smooth and velvety cream.
Adjust with salt and pepper.
Transfer the al dente pasta into the pan with the sauce.

Add the reserved shrimp and half of the chopped parsley.
Toss quickly over medium-low heat.
If the sauce dries out too much, add a little more cooking water.

Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining fresh parsley and a pinch of fresh grated lemon zest and some shrimp.
Enjoy.

Tips

After squeezing the lemon juice (the one you’ll add to the Philadelphia and the one for the pan), pass it through a fine-mesh strainer.

This ensures you remove all the seeds and any fibers, guaranteeing a 100% velvety sauce.

After cleaning and rinsing, dry the shrimp very well with absorbent paper before putting them in the pan. If they’re wet, they will lower the oil temperature, ending up boiling rather than browning, compromising the golden color and sea flavor.

Mom’s tip. Before grating the zest and squeezing it, you can soak the organic lemon in hot water for 1-2 minutes. This will release more essential oils and make it easier to extract the juice.

When melting Philadelphia in the pan with the cooking water, make sure the water is warm or hot (but not boiling). Adding it gradually and not too hot prevents the cream cheese from separating or “curdling” with the thermal shock.

Toss the pasta in the sauce over very low heat or off the heat. The residual heat from the pasta and pan is enough to finish cooking (“risotto-style” cooking) without overcooking the Philadelphia, which otherwise might become less velvety.

If you want an ultra-shiny and velvety finish (very elegant), remove the pan from the heat and, just at the end of tossing, add a small cube of cold butter. Mix quickly: the emulsion will add shine and roundness without weighing down.

Wine Pairing

I suggest a fresh and savory Lugana, a Vermentino, or a Franciacorta Brut perfectly enhance the citrus note and seafood.

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