By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 4
495 cal · 20 min
Light Garlic Shrimp Baked Penne
Recipe GLPR39a53d7af1685a
A comforting baked pasta dish featuring tender shrimp and whole wheat penne tossed with a creamy garlic sauce made from evaporated milk and cream cheese, topped with fire-roasted tomatoes and melted Parmesan. This lighter version comes together quickly and is finished with a brief stint in the oven until golden.
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Ingredients
1 lb. raw, deveined tail-off shrimp
6 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
1½ tablespoons butter, divided
4 large cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes with garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 ounces 2% evaporated milk
1 ounce light cream cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Directions
Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt ½ tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add 1 minced garlic clove and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and softened.
Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side. The shrimp should reach an internal temperature indicating they are fully cooked and no longer translucent; they should be opaque and curled.
Remove the cooked shrimp from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
In a separate small skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and butter mixture, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until a soft, sticky paste forms.
Slowly pour in half of the evaporated milk while whisking continuously until smooth. Continue heating until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble gently.
Add the remaining evaporated milk and whisk until well combined and smooth. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and bubbles again.
Add the cream cheese to the sauce and whisk until completely melted and smooth.
Season the sauce with salt to your preference. Pour the sauce immediately over the cooked penne.
Drain the fire-roasted tomatoes and gently fold them into the pasta mixture.
Gently stir in the cooked shrimp, being careful not to break them.
Transfer the pasta mixture to a small baking dish and distribute evenly.
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta.
Place the baking dish in a preheated 375°F oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Comments
Shrimp and pasta are both reliably stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart across Charlotte, but fire-roasted tomatoes require a planned stop—look for them at Harris Teeter or Kroger; they are not standard at ALDI or Food Lion. At roughly $14–16 total for four servings, the cost sits in the mid-weeknight range, driven by shrimp and cream cheese. The 20-minute timer assumes prep is done: allow 30 minutes once you factor in deveining shrimp and mincing garlic. This is a hands-off oven dish once assembled, making it sturdy for a family weeknight, and leftovers reheat gently in a 325-degree oven without breaking down the cream sauce.
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