Feb 12, 2016

Fettuccine with Shrimp and Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is so addicting and it only takes a few ingredients.
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This sun dried tomato cream sauce comes together with just a few ingredients and is served with sautéed mushrooms and shrimp over fettuccine for an easy Mediterranean-inspired pasta dinner.

The recipe is based off a dish at Tony’s Taverna in Malibu. I started ordering this dish my freshman year of college and would even call it in for takeout when I decided I needed to reward myself after a hard week. I would pick up this pasta and the order was so big I could make it last for several meals (which definitely beat out the bland cafeteria pasta).

Fettuccine with Shrimp and Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

  • Sun dried tomatoes – When buying sun dried tomatoes for this dish make sure you get the ones packed in olive oil not the dried kind that come in a bag. Since they are packed in olive oil the tomatoes are flavorful moist tomatoes instead of ones that can be hard to chew.
  • Shrimp – The terms “jumbo” and “extra jumbo” and “colossal” aren’t standardized terms within the industry. Instead look at the numbers – they estimate approximately how many shrimp are in 1 pound. The shrimp should be peeled and deveined before beginning the recipe.
  • Mushrooms – I typically use crimini also known as baby Bella mushrooms when I cook. They have a meatier, earthier mushroom flavor compared to white mushrooms. I recommend buying whole mushrooms and slicing them yourself so they are more evenly cut than pre-cut mushrooms. Use a damp paper towel to wipe away dirt before slicing the mushrooms.
sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and parsley ingredient shot

How to Make Fettuccine with Shrimp and Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

sautéed shallots and garlic in pan
Step 1: Sauté shallots and garlic. 

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and allow to melt. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until the shallot is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.

Step 2: Make roux. 

Add the flour and cook, whisking until pale golden brown, about 30 seconds.

sautéed shallots in butter roux base
how to make sun dried tomato cream sauce
Step 3: Finish sauce. 

Stir in the tomato paste followed by the milk, whisking until completely combined. Lower heat to medium-low and let simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Add the sun dried tomatoes. 

Stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Remove from heat then cover and set aside.

sun dried tomato cream sauce in pot
cooked fettuccine in pot
Step 5: Cook pasta. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain and return the pasta to the pot.

Step 6: Cook shrimp. 

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and allow to melt. Add the shrimp and sauté on both sides until pink and no longer translucent, about 1½ minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside on a plate.

sautéed shrimp in pan
sautéed sliced brown mushrooms in skillet
Step 7: Cook mushrooms. 

Return the pan to heat, add the remaining olive oil and heat through. Add the remaining butter and allow to melt. Working in batches, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms reduce in size as not to overcrowd the pan. Continue to cook until all mushrooms have been added and they are golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 8: Assemble pasta. 

Add the sauce and mushroom mixture to the cooked pasta and toss until thoroughly coated in the sauce. Stir in the pasta cooking water ¼ cup at a time, tossing to combine. Add more pasta cooking water if needed. Stir in half of the parsley.

fettuccine with sun dried tomato cream sauce and mushrooms
fettuccine with sun dried tomato cream sauce and shrimp
Step 9: Serve. 

Divide the fettuccine with sun dried tomato cream sauce among warmed pasta bowls and top with shrimp. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

Sous Vide Cooking Instructions

Sous vide is a method of cooking food by vacuum sealing it in a bag and slowly cooking it in a water bath at an exact temperature. It is an easy method of perfectly cooking foods. Since the shrimp are cooked using a sous vide method they are perfectly tender. I like using this method because it ensures even cooking and makes it hard to overcook (which can be easily done with shrimp).

  1. Attach the sous vide machine to a large container filled with enough water to reach the minimum line without exceeding the maximum line. Turn the sous vide on and allow it to heat to 149°F (65ºC).
  2. Add the shrimp and remaining tablespoon of butter to a large sealable plastic bag and remove all the air either using a vacuum or by submerging the air in water until the air has left then seal the bag.
  3. Cook the shrimp in the bag for 15 minutes. Remove the bag and add the shrimp to the pasta dish.
Swaps and Substitutions
  • Swap the fettuccine with another long pasta shape of choice like pappardelle, bucatini or even spaghetti.
  • The shrimp can be swapped for another protein like chicken if desired.
fettuccine with shrimp and sun-dried tomato cream sauce recipe from cooking with cocktail rings

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this fettuccine in sun dried tomato cream sauce recipe, I recommend checking out these:

Fettuccine with Shrimp and Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This sun dried tomato cream sauce comes together with just a few ingredients and is served with sautéed mushrooms and shrimp over fettuccine for an easy Mediterranean-inspired pasta dinner. The recipe is based off a dish at Tony’s Taverna in Malibu.
Print Pin
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • ½ medium shallot, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ½ cup olive oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
  • 1 pound dried fettuccine pasta
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp (16/20 per pound), peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

Instructions:

  • Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and allow to melt. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until the shallot is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the flour and cook, whisking until pale golden brown, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the tomato paste followed by the milk, whisking until completely combined. Lower heat to medium-low and let simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Remove from heat then cover and set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
  • In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and allow to melt. Add the shrimp and sauté on both sides until pink and no longer translucent, about 1½ minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside on a plate.
  • Return the pan to heat, add the remaining olive oil and heat through. Add the remaining butter and allow to melt. Working in batches, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms reduce in size as not to overcrowd the pan. Continue to cook until all mushrooms have been added and they are golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Add the sauce and mushroom mixture to the cooked pasta and toss until thoroughly coated in the sauce. Add ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, tossing to combine. Add more pasta cooking water if needed. Stir in half of the parsley.
  • Divide the pasta among warmed pasta bowls and top with shrimp. Garnish with parsley and serve.

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