Creamy Garlic Parmesan Steak and Shrimp Pasta is the ultimate combination of tender steak, juicy shrimp, silky pasta, and a rich homemade cream sauce. Inspired by the dish in the photo, this recipe brings together beautifully seared pieces of steak and golden shrimp over ribbons of pasta, all finished with a smooth, buttery garlic Parmesan sauce and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
This is the kind of dinner that looks like something you would order at a steakhouse, yet it is surprisingly manageable in a home kitchen. The steak develops a deeply browned crust while staying tender inside, the shrimp cooks in just a few minutes, and the creamy sauce comes together in the same skillet so all those flavorful browned bits become part of the finished dish.
Serve it for date night, a weekend family dinner, birthdays, celebrations, or simply when you’re craving a rich and comforting pasta dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Steak and Shrimp Pasta
This recipe gives you the best of both worlds: hearty steak and delicate seafood in the same satisfying meal. The contrast between smoky, seared beef and buttery shrimp makes every bite interesting, while the creamy Parmesan pasta ties everything together.
It also looks impressive without requiring complicated ingredients. Garlic, butter, cream, Parmesan, pasta, steak, and shrimp do most of the work.
Another major advantage is timing. Because both steak and shrimp cook quickly, the entire meal can be ready in about 40 minutes when your ingredients are prepared beforehand.
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 1 pound sirloin steak, ribeye, or New York strip
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
For the Pasta
- 12 ounces fettuccine or linguine
- Salt for pasta water
- ½–1 cup reserved pasta water
For the Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Salt to taste
How to Make Creamy Garlic Parmesan Steak and Shrimp Pasta
1. Prepare the Steak
Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 20–30 minutes before cooking. Allowing it to lose some of its refrigerator chill helps it cook more evenly.
Pat the surface thoroughly dry with paper towels. Moisture prevents proper browning, so don’t skip this step.
Season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
For the most attractive presentation, cook the steak whole and slice it after resting rather than cutting it into pieces before cooking.
2. Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season it generously with salt.
Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions until al dente, usually about 9–11 minutes depending on the brand.
Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
The starch in this water is extremely useful for loosening the cream sauce while helping it cling beautifully to the noodles.
Drain the pasta and set it aside.
3. Sear the Steak
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high to high heat.
Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the steak in the skillet.
Leave it untouched for approximately 3–4 minutes so a deep brown crust can develop. Flip and cook the second side for another 3–4 minutes.
During the final minute, add one tablespoon of butter and spoon the melted butter over the steak.
Cooking time will depend on thickness and preferred doneness. For medium-rare steak, aim for an internal temperature of approximately 130–135°F (54–57°C) after resting.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 8–10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
4. Cook the Shrimp
While the steak rests, pat the shrimp dry and season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Heat one tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat.
Arrange the shrimp in a single layer without overcrowding the pan.
Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Perfectly cooked shrimp should be pink, opaque, and curled into a loose “C” shape. Avoid cooking them until tightly curled because that usually means they’re becoming overdone.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
5. Make the Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce
Reduce the heat to medium.
Add two tablespoons of butter to the same skillet, followed by the minced garlic.
Cook for only 30–45 seconds, stirring continuously. Garlic should become fragrant but should not turn dark brown.
Pour in the chicken broth and gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Those browned pieces left behind from the steak and shrimp add tremendous flavor to the sauce.
Let the broth simmer for about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream.
Add Italian seasoning, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 3–5 minutes. Avoid a vigorous boil because excessive heat can cause cream sauces to separate.
Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until completely melted.
The sauce should become smooth, glossy, and thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
6. Toss the Pasta in the Sauce
Add the cooked fettuccine directly to the skillet.
Using tongs, gently toss the noodles until every strand is coated in the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.
If the sauce becomes too thick, add reserved pasta water 1–2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Remember that cream sauce continues thickening as it cools, so keeping it slightly loose while still in the skillet produces better results on the plate.
7. Add the Steak and Shrimp
Slice the rested steak against the grain into strips or bite-sized pieces.
Arrange the creamy pasta on serving plates and top generously with sliced steak and seared shrimp.
Spoon some additional Parmesan cream sauce over the steak, similar to the presentation shown in the image.
Finish with freshly cracked black pepper, chopped parsley, and a little extra Parmesan if desired.
Serve immediately while everything is hot and the sauce is silky.
What to Serve With Steak and Shrimp Pasta
Because this pasta is wonderfully rich, simple vegetable sides work especially well.
Try roasted asparagus, garlic green beans, sautéed spinach, roasted broccoli, or a crisp garden salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette.
Warm garlic bread or crusty Italian bread is excellent for soaking up any remaining Parmesan sauce.
For entertaining, serve smaller pasta portions alongside a fresh salad for a balanced restaurant-style dinner.
Tips for the Best Steak and Shrimp Pasta
Use a hot pan for the steak. High heat creates the dark caramelized exterior that provides much of the steak’s flavor.
Cook the shrimp separately. Steak and shrimp have completely different cooking times. Cooking them together usually results in either undercooked steak or rubbery shrimp.
Grate Parmesan yourself. Fresh Parmesan melts more smoothly into cream sauce than many pre-shredded varieties.
Keep the cream sauce at a gentle simmer. Very high heat can cause dairy-based sauces to become oily or grainy.
Rest your steak. Cutting immediately allows flavorful juices to run onto the cutting board instead of remaining inside the meat.
Save pasta water. It is one of the easiest ways to adjust sauce consistency without watering down the flavor.
Easy Recipe Variations
For extra garlic flavor, increase the sauce to six cloves of garlic.
You can make the dish slightly spicy by seasoning the shrimp with Cajun seasoning and adding additional red pepper flakes to the cream sauce.
Not a fan of steak? Replace it with grilled or pan-seared chicken breast.
For a seafood-heavy version, leave out the steak and add scallops alongside the shrimp.
You can also add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or asparagus to turn the recipe into an even more substantial pasta dinner.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Cream sauce thickens considerably after refrigeration. When reheating, add a small splash of milk, cream, or broth before warming the pasta gently over low heat.
Avoid overheating the shrimp because they can quickly become tough. For that reason, gentle stovetop reheating generally produces better results than aggressively microwaving the dish.
Final Thoughts
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Steak and Shrimp Pasta transforms simple ingredients into a seriously impressive surf-and-turf dinner. Between the perfectly seared steak, tender golden shrimp, buttery fettuccine, and velvety Parmesan garlic sauce, every part of the dish feels indulgent and satisfying.