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Carbonara Inspired Shrimp Alfredo is everything you love about creamy pasta sauces without the pasta. Juicy shrimp and crispy bacon are cooked in a rich parmesan cream, giving you the best of both worlds between a classic shrimp alfredo sauce and indulgent carbonara with shrimp.
Ready in under 10 minutes, this one-pan wonder is keto friendly, low carb, and full of comforting flavor. It is like shrimp and bacon carbonara reimagined, simple to make and satisfying from the first bite.
What Makes This Recipe Work
A creamy Shrimp Alfredo with zero pasta and zero guilt makes it perfect for a low carb, keto friendly dinner idea. Juicy shrimp is cooked in an egg free, carbonara inspired shrimp alfredo sauce with crispy bacon, combining the best of carbonara with shrimp and shrimp and bacon carbonara.
Rich, quick to make, and full of flavor, it is ideal for carbonara lovers or anyone craving a satisfying, restaurant quality meal without the heavy carbs.
What Goes Into Shrimp Alfredo
This Shrimp Alfredo combines juicy shrimp, crispy bacon, and a rich parmesan cream for a quick, flavorful meal. You get all the indulgence of shrimp alfredo sauce with the comfort of carbonara with shrimp.
- Bacon: Diced and pan-fried until crispy for a savory, smoky base.
- Shrimp: Fresh or frozen, tails on or off, bringing a sweet and tender bite.
- Heavy Cream: Creates the silky, luscious sauce; you can also use half and half or evaporated milk.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated for maximum flavor and creamy texture.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Shrimp Alfredo
- Crisp the Bacon: Heat oil over medium high heat and fry bacon until crispy. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 teaspoon.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook until the onion is transparent, about 1 minute.
- Cook the Shrimp: Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in the half and half or cream and add the parmesan. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1 minute.
- Season and Thicken: Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the parmesan melts, the shrimp are cooked through, and the sauce slightly thickens.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the parsley, adjusting salt and pepper if needed. Serve over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles.
Enjoy this Shrimp Alfredo with Caprese Garlic Bread for an ultra-indulgent pairing. Add a lighter side like Skinny Lemon Garlic Shrimp Caesar Salad for freshness and crunch. For a hearty, flavor-packed option, serve it with Hasselback Herbed Garlic Butter Sweet Potatoes to round out the meal.
Recipe FAQ’s
Alfredo uses a cream and parmesan base, while carbonara with shrimp traditionally includes egg yolks for richness. This recipe blends the two styles but keeps it egg free.
Cook them over low to medium heat and remove them as soon as they turn pink to avoid a rubbery texture.
Absolutely. Just thaw and pat them dry before cooking so they sear nicely and don’t water down the sauce.
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Carbonara Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 oz bacon diced
- 1 small onion
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound shrimp tails on or off
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream half and half or evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese fresh grated
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the bacon until crispy. Drain off some excess fat, keeping about 1 teaspoons worth in the pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until onion is transparent (about 1 minute).
- Reduce heat to low. Add shrimp and let cook for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.
- Pour in half and half (or cream) and add in parmesan cheese. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for 1 minute. Season with a little salt and pepper to your taste and let cook until the parmesan cheese has melted, the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Top with parsley, taste test sauce and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve over pasta, rice, steamed veg, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is the bomb! However, a little light on the cheese, because cheese! I probably ended up at at least a full cup of cheese until I got where I wanted. GF said it was the best alfredo she’s ever had by a very large margin.
I just made this! I read all the comments before making a recipe. I LOVE Cafedelights recipes. On the thickening; I put my shrimp (and bay scallops) in a little bit of flour. I don’t know the measurements, I use baggies. AMAZING! I did the main part of the recipe, saved the bacon grease for my multi layers of cooking; 1. onions, garlic 2. Butter bacon grease with shrimp 1 min, 3. bacon grease butter bay scallops until browned. Mind you, I lightly floured them. Presentation was amazing, and the sauce was perfect (if you prefer a thicker sauce). Each layer was cooked separately in the same pan. Just added the reserved bacon, and 1 Pat of butter, threw it all together
Really good and easy added some red bell pepper for color the shrimp and bacon is a winner
Made for the recipezazz Italian leg of the tour