I’ve watched a lot of recipes come and go through my kitchen over the years, but few have earned quite the reaction that this one does. The first time I served marry me shrimp pasta at a dinner party, a friend put her fork down mid-bite, looked at her husband, and said, “We need to make this every week.” That’s the whole appeal in one sentence. It’s a dish bold enough to make a promise, and confident enough to keep it.
If you’ve scrolled past this recipe on social media and wondered whether it’s worth the hype or whether the name is just clever marketing, stick with me. I’m going to walk you through what the dish actually is, where that irresistible name came from, and exactly how to make it in your own kitchen tonight even if you’ve never cooked shrimp before.
What Is Marry Me Shrimp Pasta, Really?
At its core, marry me shrimp pasta is a simple idea executed beautifully: tender, pan-seared shrimp tossed with pasta in a creamy sauce built from sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, parmesan, and a whisper of chili flakes. It’s rich without being heavy, tangy without being sharp, and finished with fresh basil that keeps every bite tasting bright.
What makes it stand out from your average creamy pasta is the balance. The sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes plays against the salty parmesan, the cream mellows the garlic, and the shrimp adds just enough brininess to tie it all together. It’s restaurant-quality, but it comes together in under 40 minutes with ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Why Do They Call It “Marry Me” Pasta?
This is the question I get asked most, and the story is more charming than you might expect. The name traces back to “Marry Me Chicken,” a dish created by a food editor at Delish in 2016. After tasting the finished sauce a rich blend of cream, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes a colleague reportedly joked that they’d marry the cook on the spot for a dish that good. The name stuck, and the recipe went viral.
From there, home cooks and food bloggers started applying the same idea to other proteins, and eventually pasta joined the party. The shrimp version is a natural extension: it keeps that same knockout sauce but swaps in seafood for a lighter, quicker weeknight option. So no, the name isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a nod to a real moment when someone tasted a sauce and couldn’t help but react.
What You’ll Need
- 12 oz pasta (fettuccine, penne, or linguine all work beautifully)
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (oil-packed works best)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
How to Make Marry Me Shrimp Pasta, Step by Step
Here’s exactly how I make it at home, broken down so there’s no guesswork.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente. Before draining, scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside it’s your secret weapon for a silky sauce later. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Step 2: Sear the Shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 90 seconds per side, until pink and just opaque. Don’t overcrowd the pan or overcook them; shrimp go from perfect to rubbery fast. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Step 3: Build the Sauce Base
In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook for about a minute until fragrant. This step matters more than it looks you’re pulling all that flavor left behind by the shrimp into the sauce.
Step 4: Make It Creamy
Pour in the broth and let it simmer for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to thicken slightly.
Step 5: Bring It Together
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add the cooked pasta and shrimp back into the skillet, tossing everything to coat. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a glossy, clingy consistency.
Step 6: Finish and Serve
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Plate it up, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve immediately while the sauce is at its silkiest.
Chef’s Tips for Getting It Right
A few small habits separate a good version of this dish from a great one. Always cook your shrimp just until opaque; carryover heat will finish the job once you toss them back into the hot sauce. Reserve that pasta water every single time it’s the easiest way to loosen a sauce without watering down the flavor. And if you’re serving this for a special occasion, a short pasta shape like penne or a long noodle like fettuccine both hold the sauce well, so pick whichever you have on hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “marry me pasta” actually called?
“Marry me pasta” is the common name itself; there isn’t a more formal or traditional title. It’s simply the pasta adaptation of Marry Me Chicken, built around the same sun dried tomato and cream sauce, with shrimp or chicken swapped in depending on the version.
Is marry me shrimp healthy?
It’s a moderate indulgence dish rather than a diet food, mainly due to the heavy cream and parmesan. That said, shrimp itself is a lean, high protein ingredient low in calories and rich in nutrients like selenium and vitamin B12. You can lighten the dish by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream or adding extra vegetables like spinach or baby tomatoes.
What is the best pasta to serve with marry me shrimp?
Fettuccine and linguine are popular because their width holds the creamy sauce well, but penne or rigatoni work just as nicely if you prefer a shape that catches sauce in every bite. Choose based on what you already have; the sauce is forgiving with almost any pasta shape.
Why are so many dishes called “marry me”?
Once the original Marry Me Chicken went viral, the naming convention became a shorthand for “this is exceptionally good.” Food creators started applying it to other proteins and dishes that used a similar rich, craveable sauce, which is how marry me shrimp, marry me pasta, and several other spin-offs came to be.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to explore more pasta favorites on Mima Recipes. Try our Garlic Butter Pasta for a quick, buttery classic, Cowboy Butter Chicken Pasta for bold, Southern-inspired flavors, or Feta Tomato Pasta for a fresh, Mediterranean-style dinner. If you’re craving another cheesy comfort-food recipe, our Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese is always a crowd-pleaser.
Conclusion
Marry me shrimp pasta earns its name honestly. It’s the kind of dish that turns an ordinary Tuesday into something worth slowing down for, and it does it without demanding hours in the kitchen or a long list of specialty ingredients. Once you’ve made the sauce yourself and watched someone’s face at the first bite, you’ll understand exactly why the name caught on.
Give this recipe a try this week, and don’t be surprised if it becomes a regular request at your table. If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out drop a comment below, share a photo, or tag your creation online. And if this recipe wins you over, explore more comfort-food classics on the blog; there’s a good chance the next one earns its own nickname too.
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Marry Me Shrimp Pasta: The Recipe That Lives Up to Its Name
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Description
Silky sun-dried tomato cream sauce, juicy pan-seared shrimp, and just enough heat to keep things interesting.
This is the dish you make when you want dinner to feel like an occasion without the extra effort. Plump shrimp are seared until golden, then folded into a velvety sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and parmesan that clings to every strand of pasta. It’s cozy enough for a weeknight and impressive enough for date night the kind of meal that earns seconds before anyone’s finished their first plate.
Ingredients
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- 12 oz pasta (fettuccine, penne, or linguine all work beautifully)
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- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
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- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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- 4 cloves garlic, minced
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- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (oil-packed works best)
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- 1 cup heavy cream
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- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
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- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
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- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
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- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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- Salt and black pepper, to taste
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- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente. Before draining, scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside it’s your secret weapon for a silky sauce later. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 90 seconds per side, until pink and just opaque. Don’t overcrowd the pan or overcook them; shrimp go from perfect to rubbery fast. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook for about a minute until fragrant. This step matters more than it looks you’re pulling all that flavor left behind by the shrimp into the sauce.
Pour in the broth and let it simmer for a minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to thicken slightly.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add the cooked pasta and shrimp back into the skillet, tossing everything to coat. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a glossy, clingy consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Plate it up, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve immediately while the sauce is at its silkiest.