Creamy fettuccine Alfredo loaded with shrimp and scallops

Seafood Alfredo

Name: Seafood Alfredo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 oz fettuccine; 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1/2 pound sea scallops, patted dry; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Fresh parsley and cracked black pepper for garnish

30 minMedium

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Servings

4 servings

Difficulty

Medium

Cost

Premium

$$$

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Seafood Alfredo

Creamy fettuccine Alfredo loaded with shrimp and scallops

Rich, velvety Alfredo sauce tossed with fettuccine, seared shrimp, and pan-seared scallops for an indulgent Italian-American pasta night.

10m

Prep Time

20m

Cook Time

30m

Total Time

Servings

Medium

Difficulty

Premium $$$

Cost

Italian Cuisine Main Course Pasta

Sarah Chen

November 3, 2021(Updated April 13, 2026)

Seafood Alfredo is the kind of pasta dish that makes you feel like you are dining at an upscale Italian restaurant — rich, creamy, and loaded with perfectly cooked seafood. Tender shrimp and buttery scallops sit atop a bed of fettuccine coated in a luxurious, velvety Alfredo sauce that is made from scratch in the time it takes the pasta to boil.

This version builds extra flavor by searing the seafood first, developing golden-brown crusts that add complexity to every bite. The pan drippings then become the foundation for the sauce, ensuring not a drop of that seafood flavor goes to waste. It is indulgent, it is impressive, and it is surprisingly quick to pull off on a weeknight.

Ingredients

12 oz fettuccine
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound sea scallops, patted dry
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh parsley and cracked black pepper for garnish

HeatTool

Test Kitchen Pick

Saute Pan

Helpful Tool

Why a wide pan helps here

Recipes like this come together better when there is room to toss pasta or noodles directly in the sauce instead of crowding a smaller skillet.

A wider pan makes the sauce-and-finish step much easier.

Better for tossing noodles in sauce
More useful than a single-purpose pasta gadget

A large saute pan earns its keep quickly if pasta or noodle dishes are in regular rotation.

Shop saute pan options for this recipe

Instructions

1
Cook fettuccine in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2
Season shrimp and scallops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear scallops for 1.5 minutes per side until golden. Remove. Sear shrimp for 1 minute per side until pink. Remove both to a plate.
3
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic to the same skillet. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4
Pour in the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
5
Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan until melted and smooth. Add the drained fettuccine and toss to coat, using pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
6
Top with the seared shrimp and scallops. Garnish with parsley and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Ways to Serve This Dish

Serve with crusty artisan bread for dipping
Finish with a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil
Pair with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette
Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper

Substitutions

FettuccinePappardelle or linguine

Any wide, flat pasta catches the creamy sauce beautifully

Heavy creamHalf-and-half

Lighter but the sauce will not be as rich or thick

ScallopsExtra shrimp or crab meat

Either provides a delicious seafood element if scallops are unavailable

DepthPantry

Test Kitchen Pick

Olive Oil

Helpful Pantry Staple

Why the olive oil matters

On recipes like this, olive oil is not just a background fat. A better bottle gives you cleaner flavor and a better finish.

This is one of the few pantry upgrades that keeps paying off every time you cook in this lane.

Useful in dressings, sauces, and finishing
Improves flavor without changing the recipe structure

A good bottle of olive oil is one of the safest pantry upgrades for Mediterranean and Italian cooking.

Shop olive oil for this recipe

Tips & Storage

Pro Tips

Do not boil the cream after adding the Parmesan — it can become grainy. Keep the heat gentle and stir constantly.
Real Parmigiano-Reggiano melts more smoothly than pre-grated Parmesan. Grate it yourself on a microplane.
The pasta water is your friend — add it a tablespoon at a time to get the perfect saucy consistency.

Storage

Alfredo pasta is best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days — the sauce will thicken and separate.

Reheating

Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a generous splash of cream, stirring until smooth. Add more Parmesan if needed.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1/4 of the recipe) · 4 servings

Calories620

LowModerateHigh

A hearty, energy-rich serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet

Protein36g

Carbohydrates50g

Fat32g

Fiber2g

Sugar2g

Sodium580mg

Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add other seafood?: Absolutely. Crab meat, lobster tail, or clams would all be excellent additions to this dish.
My Alfredo sauce is grainy. What went wrong?: The cheese was likely added while the sauce was too hot, or you used pre-shredded Parmesan which contains anti-clumping agents. Always remove from heat before adding cheese and use freshly grated.
How do I keep the pasta from clumping?: Toss it with a drizzle of olive oil immediately after draining, and do not let it sit — add it to the sauce right away.

Explore More

More Italian Recipes More Main Course More Pasta Stovetop Recipes

About Sarah Chen

Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.

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Instructions

1
Cook fettuccine in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2
Season shrimp and scallops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear scallops for 1.5 minutes per side until golden. Remove. Sear shrimp for 1 minute per side until pink. Remove both to a plate.
3
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic to the same skillet. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4
Pour in the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
5
Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan until melted and smooth. Add the drained fettuccine and toss to coat, using pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
6
Top with the seared shrimp and scallops. Garnish with parsley and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

Tips & Storage

Pro Tips

Do not boil the cream after adding the Parmesan — it can become grainy. Keep the heat gentle and stir constantly.
Real Parmigiano-Reggiano melts more smoothly than pre-grated Parmesan. Grate it yourself on a microplane.
The pasta water is your friend — add it a tablespoon at a time to get the perfect saucy consistency.

Storage

Alfredo pasta is best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days — the sauce will thicken and separate.

Reheating

Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a generous splash of cream, stirring until smooth. Add more Parmesan if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add other seafood?

Absolutely. Crab meat, lobster tail, or clams would all be excellent additions to this dish.

My Alfredo sauce is grainy. What went wrong?

The cheese was likely added while the sauce was too hot, or you used pre-shredded Parmesan which contains anti-clumping agents. Always remove from heat before adding cheese and use freshly grated.

How do I keep the pasta from clumping?

Toss it with a drizzle of olive oil immediately after draining, and do not let it sit — add it to the sauce right away.

Seafood Alfredo

Seafood Alfredo

Seafood Alfredo