20 Minute Creamy Tuscan Garlic Shrimp

So far, I’ve repeated this creamy Tuscan sauce with everything from chicken to salmon, and now, juicy Tuscan shrimp! Not only is this recipe incredibly flavorful and simple to make, but it’s also so easy to adapt the ingredients to what I have on hand. Ripe burst tomatoes, garlic, savory spinach, white wine, and a touch of coconut milk create a luscious, creamy sauce for fresh or frozen shrimp. It all comes together in one pan in a little over 15 minutes.

If you love this Tuscan shrimp recipe as much as I do, also try my spicy shrimp pasta, shrimp pesto pasta, and crispy bang bang shrimp.

Tuscan Shrimp Worth Having on Repeat

• Impressive, yet SO easy. Juicy shrimp in rich, Tuscan-inspired white wine sauce with tomatoes looks and tastes like it came out of a five-star kitchen, but it takes just minutes to make on the stovetop.
• Big on flavor, not on clean-up. This creamy Tuscan shrimp recipe uses minimal ingredients and concentrates the flavors in a single pan.
• A family favorite. Even kids love the mildly sweet, savory, creamy sauce. You can easily swap shrimp with chicken or any protein your family loves.
• Lots of meal possibilities. Serve this Tuscan shrimp as an appetizer with bread for dipping, or over rice or pasta for a delicious Italian-style dinner.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These are the ingredients needed for this Tuscan shrimp dinner. I recommend having all of your ingredients out, prepped, and ready to go before you start cooking. This shrimp recipe goes fast! See the recipe card for the exact measurements.

• Shrimp – I recommend using fresh, wild-caught shrimp. However, frozen wild-caught shrimp work just as well if that’s what you have.
• Avocado Oil – This is my preferred oil when cooking. It is flavorless and has a high smoke point, a must when pan-searing.
• Garlic – Everything is better with garlic!
• Onion – I use sweet onion in this recipe; however, I’ve also used red onion and shallot. Both work just as well.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter so you can control the sodium level. You can also use ghee, grass-fed butter, or coconut oil in place of butter (for dairy-free).
• White Wine – I use white cooking wine to deglaze the pan, but you could also use a bottle of white wine that you want to serve with this dish. Use vegetable stock if you aren’t cooking with alcohol.
• Red Pepper Flakes – Just a pinch, for a kick. These are optional, and you can skip the chilies if preferred.
• Spinach – Kale is a good alternative.
• Cherry Tomatoes – I prefer fresh tomatoes rather than sun-dried. You’ll sauté whole cherry tomatoes until they “burst,” and then smash them with a spoon to release the juices and flavor.
• Fresh Basil – Added at the end of cooking. Parsley works nicely here, too.
• Lemon – Finish with lemon juice to brighten up the dish.
• Coconut Milk – You’ll find canned coconut milk in your international aisle with the Asian or Latin cuisine. Get the full-fat coconut milk. Heavy cream is fine to use if you aren’t making this dish dairy-free.

Can I Use Frozen Shrimp?

Yes, you can absolutely swap fresh shrimp for frozen shrimp. Just make sure you thaw the frozen shrimp in a bath of cool water. Typically, it will take around 30-45  minutes.

N.B.: Never try to thaw shrimp (or any protein) with warm or hot water. It should always be cool or cold water. Once thawed, be sure to peel shrimp and devein them so you are prepped for the recipe.

How to Make Creamy Tuscan Shrimp

Are your ingredients ready and in place? Let’s bring this delicious one-pan Tuscan shrimp recipe together in under 20 minutes:

1. Sear the shrimp. Start by seasoning the shrimp with salt and pepper. Then, add them to a hot skillet with avocado oil. Sauté the shrimp over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are cooked through. Shrimp is done when it curls into a “C” shape.
2. Sauté the garlic and onions. Remove the shrimp and set it aside. In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the onions. Cook until softened.
3. Cook the tomatoes. Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping the stuck-on bits from the bottom. Add salt, red pepper flakes, and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes. As the tomatoes cook, use the back of a spoon to gently press them so they pop.
4. Finish the sauce and serve. Wilt the spinach with the tomatoes, and lastly, pour in the coconut milk. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes before adding lemon juice and basil. Return your shrimp to the pan and serve!

Tips for the Best Tuscan Shrimp

• Mise en place. Have everything prepped ahead of time so that all you’re doing is cooking. It makes the recipe go so much smoother. 
• Use fresh shrimp if you can. Try to find fresh wild-caught shrimp; I use Jumbo size. Frozen shrimp works as well, but fresh will always have a better flavor.
• Use unsalted butter. Shrimp can be high in sodium, so to better control the salt content in my dishes, I always opt for unsalted butter. If you don’t want to use butter, you can use ghee or coconut oil.
• Dairy-free is optional. We usually eat dairy-free in my house, so I use coconut milk in this recipe. If you’d like to use half and half instead, you could.
• Wine is optional, too. I use white cooking wine in this recipe to deglaze the pan. If you would like to substitute the white wine, I’d recommend using a vegetable broth or just completely omitting it.

What to Serve With Tuscan Shrimp

This dish is delicious and satisfying on its own, but it’s also very easy to expand into a larger meal. These are my favorite ways to serve creamy Tuscan shrimp:

• Over a bed of white rice or cauliflower rice.
• With angel hair pasta, or spaghetti squash noodles for a low-carb option.
• If you’re a “dunker,” serve with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
• Have a fresh summer salad on the side, like a grilled vegetable orzo salad or a pear walnut salad.

Krista’s Wine Recommendations

Typically, with seafood, white wine is the way to go. However, I have also served Pinot Noir with seafood, which is a more fruit-forward red wine, and it’s worked wonderfully. Here are the wines I recommend with this shrimp dish.

• Fiddleneck Chardonnay
• Fieldhouse 301 Chardonnay
• Fiddleneck Sauvignon Blanc
• Dove Hunt Pinot Noir
• Middle Jane Pinot Noir

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store Tuscan shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last 3-4 days in the fridge. However, in my opinion, it is at its absolute best the day it’s made. I find that next-day seafood tends to have more of a “fishy” taste.
• Reheat. Warm up leftovers in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave until the shrimp is hot throughout. Take care not to overcook it on the reheat.

More Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love

• Shrimp Tacos
• Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
• Garlic Herb Roasted Shrimp
• Garlic Parmesan Sheet Pan Shrimp
• Blackened Shrimp Bowls
• Honey Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli