Shrimp Tortellini in Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This shrimp tortellini recipe is a real treat. It’s made with tender shrimp, an exceptionally delicious creamy lemon-garlic sauce, and cheese tortellini. Bonus: you can whip up this tasty dinner in just 15 minutes!
Sink your teeth into perfectly cooked tortellini and tender shrimp, all wrapped up in a luscious lemon garlic cream sauce. It’s similar to shrimp tortellini alfredo, but even better—the bright lemon and savory garlic keep the dish light, fresh, and full of flavor.
Even though it feels like a special-occasion meal, this recipe couldn’t be easier to make. In just 15 minutes, I can have dinner on the table and feel pretty proud of myself for pulling off something this delicious with so little effort.
What to serve with shrimp tortellini
This recipe is easily a meal in itself. But if you’d like to add some veggies, a simple salad tossed with our lifesaving lemony salad dressing or our bacon kale caesar salad goes great.
I also love the classic pasta and garlic bread combo!
Store and reheat
Cooked shrimp will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. When reheating this pasta, warm it gently to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
Shrimp Tortellini in Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup finely minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese (cut into cubes – can be light cream cheese)
- 1 lb shrimp
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on high heat. Bring the pot to a boil then add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions – usually 6-8 minutes. Drain the water and set it aside.9 ounces cheese tortellini
- While the water is heating, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is transparent, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, and cream cheese and bring to a simmer. Stir until the cream cheese has melted into the sauce.1 tablespoon butter, ¼ cup finely minced onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 ½ cups chicken stock, ½ cup heavy cream, 4 ounces cream cheese
- Add the shrimp to the pan and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts, about 1 minute Add the cooked tortellini, lemon zest, and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.1 lb shrimp, 3 ounces baby spinach, Zest and juice from 1 lemon, Sea salt and pepper
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Wonderful! My husband loves it! And so do I!
I’m so glad you both loved it! 😊 That’s the best kind of win. Thanks so much for making it and taking the time to leave a note! 💛
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My dinner guests loved it as I did! it was excellent! So good that I am making it again tonight for a different group of dinner guests. The only change I made was I added more garlic.
That’s awesome to hear—so glad both you and your guests loved it! More garlic sounds like a delicious upgrade. Enjoy making it again tonight—it’s definitely a recipe worth repeating!
Kristen, seems like a few recent reviews appear to indicate your recipe is too watery or soupy; maybe scale some of the liquid back?
Thanks for the heads-up! I really appreciate the feedback and will definitely consider retesting this recipe and adjusting the liquid amounts to help with thickness.
seems a bit complicated; is there a substitute for real cloves of garlic that are minced?
There’s nothing like to flavor of fresh minced garlic, but you could try garlic powder if you want.