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Creamy Cajun shrimp pasta with daring spices, tender shrimp, and a soul-warming sauce. The right weeknight shrimp pasta recipe. Comforting however not too heavy!
Leap to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Elements | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Suggestions | 🥗 Serving Recommendations | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 Extra Shrimp Recipes
In case you’ve by no means had Cajun Shrimp Pasta earlier than, simply know this: it’s creamy, smoky, and unapologetically daring.
Impressed by the soul meals roots of Louisiana cooking, this dish options the “holy trinity” of onion, celery, and bell pepper cooked down right into a wealthy sofrito with tomatoes for sweetness and tang. Then we swirl in mild cream and Parmesan for that dreamy texture. It’s form of like Cajun shrimp pasta Alfredo.
The shrimp are coated in a blackened spice combine that hits you with smoky paprika, thyme, and a little bit cayenne zing. It’s creamy, however not heavy. Spicy, however not blow-your-head-off scorching. And all of it comes collectively in a single pan.
Per serving, you’re taking a look at round 550 energy with 30 grams protein — give or take, relying in your cream and pasta selection. I’ve made this a pair occasions now, and it by no means fails to impress.
👩🍳 You may also like: for one thing mild, strive my Cajun salmon with cauliflower tomato rice, if you happen to love shrimp, strive my garlic butter shrimp or shrimp lo mein, for one thing creamy, strive my pesto rooster pasta or rooster pasta alfredo with broccoli.
What You’ll Want
Here’s what you’ll want for this creamy Cajun shrimp pasta recipe. Discover the complete measurements within the recipe card beneath.
For the Cajun shrimp:
- Shrimp – or prawns for my Aussies, you need massive, peeled, and prepared to absorb that blackened spice (you may maintain the tails on). No shrimp? Rooster and even chickpeas work effectively, too.
- Olive oil – helps sear them into golden perfection. You’ll additionally want a little bit for the sauce.
- Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme – the spice combine that makes the shrimp sing.
- Salt – don’t skip it, it brings the entire combine alive.
For the sauce:
- Onion, celery, inexperienced bell pepper – the holy trinity! Important for that genuine taste base.
- Garlic & tomato – provides richness and a little bit sweetness.
- Mild cream (or half-and-half) – makes it creamy with out the meals coma.
- Rooster inventory – retains it mild and flavorful.
- Parmesan – salty, nutty, creamy goodness.
- Lemon juice – to brighten all the pieces up.
- Salt – style and season as you go.
For the pasta:
- Penne pasta – holds the sauce like a champ. Use gluten-free pasta or a short-cut complete wheat model.
- Reserved pasta water – the key sauce fixer.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Discover the complete recipe and dietary info beneath. Listed here are some useful step-by-step images for how you can make this creamy shrimp pasta.
- Toss shrimp with oil and all of the seasoning spices.
- Cube all of the veggies, tomatoes, and garlic.
- Prepare dinner pasta in salted water till al dente. Reserve a little bit of pasta water earlier than draining.
- Sear shrimp in a scorching pan till simply cooked, about 1–2 minutes per facet. Put aside.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, scraping up all these tasty browned bits.
- Add onion, celery, and pepper, and season with a little bit salt. Sauté till softened. As soon as water evaporates, add a splash of oil.
- Stir in tomato and garlic, cook dinner till jammy and golden. Add a little bit extra paprika to the combo, if you happen to like (I often do).
- Pour in inventory, cream, and Parmesan. Simmer briefly till barely thickened.
- Add pasta and shrimp again into the pan. Toss to coat.
- Loosen with reserved pasta water if wanted.
- End with lemon juice, I discover that it wants a little bit acidity. Serve scorching with further Parmesan and chives.
Watch The Video
Recipe Suggestions
- Make forward: You may make the sauce and cook dinner the shrimp a day prematurely. Simply retailer them individually and reheat gently earlier than combining.
- Storage: Leftovers maintain effectively for as much as 3 days within the fridge. Reheat with a splash of water or inventory to deliver the sauce again to life.
- Variations: Swap shrimp for rooster, sausage, and even tofu. Add spinach or kale on the finish for a inexperienced increase.
- Spice stage: Alter the cayenne to style! I am going gentle for household dinners, however add a little bit kick for myself.
Serving Recommendations
This pasta is a full meal by itself, however it pairs fantastically with a crisp inexperienced salad (like this Japanese cabbage salad) or some garlicky sautéed greens (strive my garlic pan-fried broccoli or lemon garlic asparagus). A slice of crusty bread to mop up the sauce? Sure please. And if you happen to’re feeling fancy, a calming glass of white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc actually works right here.
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Creamy Cajun shrimp pasta with daring spices, tender shrimp, and a soul-warming sauce. The right weeknight shrimp pasta recipe. Comforting however not too heavy! Discover step-by-step images and extra recipe ideas above.
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In a bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme, and salt.
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Cube up all of the veggies, tomatoes and garlic. Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook dinner pasta till al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
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Warmth 1 tablespoon oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Sear shrimp for 1–2 minutes per facet, then take away and put aside.
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Deglaze the skillet with ¼ cup water, scraping up any brown bits.
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Add onion, celery, and inexperienced pepper. Sauté till softened (5–7 minutes), including extra oil because the water evaporates. Cowl with lid to hurry up.
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Stir in tomato and garlic, season with ½ teaspoon salt. Prepare dinner for an additional 4–6 minutes till all the pieces breaks down and melds collectively. I like so as to add a little bit sprinkle of paprika as effectively.
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Add cream, rooster inventory, and Parmesan. Stir and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes till barely thickened.
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Add drained pasta and cooked shrimp again in. Toss all the pieces collectively. Use pasta water to loosen if wanted.
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End with lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) and further Parmesan or chives if utilizing. Serve scorching!
- Can I take advantage of frozen shrimp? Sure, simply defrost totally and pat dry earlier than seasoning.
- Is it spicy? I’d say it’s gentle to medium, relying in your cayenne tolerance. Alter the cayenne to style! Be at liberty to scale back or omit it. I am going gentle for household dinners, however add a little bit kick for myself.
- What pasta works finest? Penne holds the sauce effectively, however rigatoni, rotini, and even fettuccine can be nice.
- Can I freeze it? It’s finest recent as a result of pasta doesn’t freeze effectively, however leftovers might be frozen in an hermetic container for as much as 1 month.
- Make Forward: You may make the sauce and cook dinner the shrimp a day prematurely. Simply retailer them individually and reheat gently earlier than combining.
- Storage: Leftovers maintain effectively for as much as 3 days within the fridge. Reheat with a splash of water or inventory to deliver the sauce again to life.
- Variations: Swap shrimp for rooster, sausage, and even tofu. Add spinach or kale on the finish for a inexperienced increase.
Energy: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 28g | Fats: 23g | Saturated Fats: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 9g | Trans Fats: 0.01g | Ldl cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 1446mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1357IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 2mg