Marry Me Shrimp
If you’re looking for a dinner that’s guaranteed to wow, this Marry Me Shrimp is it! Juicy shrimp nestled in a rich, creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, it’s the kind of dish that gets everyone asking for seconds (and the recipe!).
This is one of those recipes that feels fancy but is actually simple enough for a weeknight dinner. We love how quickly it comes together while still tasting like something you’d order at a restaurant.
And, if you are a fan of shrimp, then you will also enjoy this Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp, Creamy Garlic Shrimp, or this Crispy Coconut Shrimp.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick Dinner: This shrimp recipe comes together fast and is perfect for busy nights.
- Creamy Sauce: Heavy cream, cream cheese, and Parmesan make the sauce rich and smooth.
- Restaurant-Worthy: It feels special without requiring complicated steps.
- Full of Flavor: Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, capers, and spinach add so much depth.
Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
The star of this dish is definitely the sauce! You’ll need large peeled and deveined shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, capers, and a handful of pantry staples to pull it all together. The cream cheese and parmesan are what make the sauce extra luscious and rich.
Variations
- Add Some Heat: Toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne for a little kick in the sauce.
- Swap the Protein: This sauce is just as dreamy with chicken, scallops, or even pasta if you want to skip the shrimp.
- Use pasta: Toss the shrimp and sauce with fettuccine, linguine, or penne.
- Swap the greens: Use kale or arugula instead of spinach.
- Add more veggies: Mushrooms, roasted red peppers, or asparagus would work well.
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook shrimp until pink, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Melt butter in the skillet, add onions, and cook until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. Stir and cook for about a minute to combine the flavors.
- Whisk in tomato paste and chicken stock until smooth, then add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in cream cheese and parmesan.
- Stir in spinach and capers. Cook until spinach wilts into the sauce. Add the shrimp back to the pan to warm through.
Expert Tips
- Do not overcook the shrimp, or they can become rubbery.
- Pat the shrimp dry before cooking so they sear instead of steam.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest sauce.
- Simmer the sauce gently after adding the cream.
- Serve right away for the best creamy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! Just make sure to thaw and pat them dry thoroughly before cooking for the best results.
It’s delicious over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, or with toasted bread.
A high smoke point oil works better because the shrimp cook over medium-high heat.
Yes, but they add a nice salty, briny flavor. You can skip them if preferred.
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🕮Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Marry Me Shrimp
Equipment
- large skillet
- Tongs
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper as desired
- 2 tablespoons high-smoke-point oil not olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ medium onion minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes roughly chopped or julienned
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 to 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with clean paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the shrimp and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Return the skillet to the heat and melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add the basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. Stir well and cook for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the tomato paste and chicken stock until smooth.
- Add the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
- Add the cream cheese and Parmesan. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Add the spinach and capers, stirring until the spinach wilts.
- Return the shrimp to the pan and warm through.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
