Cajun Shrimp Pasta with a spicy and rich cream sauce.
This is a quick and easy dinner recipe with just the right amount of kick! Tender whole shrimp smothered in a quick and easy spicy cream sauce with just the right amount of perfectly cooked pasta. YUM!
CAJUN SHRIMP PASTA
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This Cajun Shrimp Pasta dinner recipe has everything you could possibly want. Tender and succulent shrimp is coated in the cajun seasoning which adds just the right amount of flavor. The cream sauce only takes a few minutes to come together and the pasta soaks up all the flavor.
There are two things I can always make for dinner that will have my family drooling: shrimp and pasta. On the nights when I go that extra mile and actually make homemade pasta, we all eat way too much because nothing quite beats the taste of fresh pasta. But, most nights call for a quick and easy dinner, so dried pasta from the store is in order.
I wasn't sure if my kids would like the cajun seasoning, and although it was more spicy than the foods they typically eat, they simply couldn't resist the fact that I made sauteed shrimp with pasta in a cream sauce. It's basically their love language. The apples don't fall far from the tree!
How to make Cajun Shrimp Pasta:
This really is a quick and easy dinner recipe perfect for a busy weeknight. Since there is little measuring and no chopping, the entire recipe can pretty much be cooked in the amount of time it takes to cook the pasta. That means that in 10-15 mintues, you can have a complete dinner.
This recipe starts by boiling the pasta in salted water. It's important to use a full tablespoon of salt in your pasta water because the salt will flavor the pasta. Before you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve some of the pasta water to thin out the sauce later, if needed.
While the pasta is cooking, saute the shrimp. They will cook quickly over relatively high heat. You'll remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside and then use that same pan to make the sauce.
The cajun cream sauce is simply a mixture of heavy cream that you bring to a boil and parmesan cheese that melts in creamy smooth. There's enough cajun seasoning ont he shrimp and in the pan to give the sauce plenty of flavor. The sauce thickens within minutes and then you simply toss everything together to serve.
What to serve with Cajun Shrimp Pasta:
Since this recipe is rich and heavy, this pasta dish is wonderful with vegetables of some kind. Either a healthy green salad or a side of steamed broccoli or spinach goes great with this dinner. The Cajun Shrimp Pasta has so much flavor the the vegetable side dish you choose should be simple and light to help balance everything out.
What type of shrimp is best for Cajun Shrimp Pasta:
I always opt for wild caught shrimp over farmed shrimp. I find that there is a huge difference in taste and texture and it's worth it to eat wild caught.
Also, with shrimp, I most often recommend bigger is better. I'm not a fan of those teeny tiny bay shrimp. I prefer my shrimp be at least two bites worth.
Rather than buying fresh shrimp, I often buy frozen shrimp by the pound so that I always have some at the ready in the freezer!
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
RECIPE VIDEO WILL AUTOPLAY
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1 pound raw shrimp (deveined, cleaned, tail removed)
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning (*see note below)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add salt to pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente doneness. Before draining, scoop out at least 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, cook the shrimp and sauce. Combine shrimp with cajun seasoning and olive oil in bowl. Toss to combine.
- Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and melt. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until golden brown on each side, turning only once. You may have to cook shrimp in two batches to allow enough room. Once done cooking, transfer cooked shrimp to a clean plate and reduce heat to medium low.
- Add heavy cream to pan and scrape bottoms to release any food that is stuck to the bottom. Allow cream to bubble. Reduce heat to low and stir in parmesan cheese to melt. Add cooked pasta and shrimp and stir to coat. If sauce needs to be thinned, add pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Notes
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This post was originally created for Centsless Meals where I was a contributor and has been updated with more fun facts and tidbits for your reading pleasure.
Marisela
Same as all the prior comments. Easy and tastes restaurant quality. I def will add onions or chopped tomatoes and garlic next time. I did add mushrooms and it was so good. Also made the spice myself, very good. Delish and a keeper! Could be made with chicken too
Evette
Made this for dinner and LOVED! I didnt have cayenne ☹(I love spicy food) or thyme, but it still turned out great. I also added chicken with the shrimp. Can't wait to cook this again and try more recipes!
Dee
Made this for Mother’s Day this year & everyone loved it! A recipe I will make again soon
Zailet
Made for my picky family and they loved it. The taste was amazing!
Chelsea
How did you cook your mushrooms?
Tiffany
AMAZING!!!😊
Donna Hodges
I feeding 12 people. How much do I need to adjust this.
Krissy
Hi Donna, the recipe card has a slider where you can adjust the number of servings.
Karena
Just fabulous, I served over sautéd mushrooms and red peppers.
Marina
What kind of Parmesan cheese do you use?
Krissy
The best bet is to get a block of aged parmesan and grate it yourself. If you buy a pre-shredded pack, it won't melt as nicely.
Anjoli Elizabeth Rowe
I was in the mood for TGI Friday's cajun pasta, but we don't have that restaurant where we live. I made your recipe (but added chicken) and it SO hit the spot! Someone said they used mushrooms, which I also think would be great to try sometime. I will use less cayenne pepper next time because it's a little more spicy than I typically prefer, but my husband LOVED the kick to it. Thanks for this recipe! Perfect!
Wendy
Really a tasty and easy recipe. Even easier if you can find peeled, deveined shrimp. This recipe will definitely become a regular at our house. Good enough for company!
Janayja Jones
Made this for my boyfriend and he just wanted more and more!!! Great recipe!
Cia
Enjoyed making this meal. Keeping around for future use!
Esmeralda
This sounds great! I’m going to add peas to it.
Susan
If I substitute spaghetti squash for the pasta it will be KETO friendly, increase the nutritional value and lower the calorie count.
Ines
Hi there! Wondering if I can replace the heavy cream with Cooking Cream?
Krissy
Not sure what cooking cream is, but heavy cream is heavy whipping cream.
Rebecca
Cooking cream usually dont have the same round deep flavor as heavy cream. So if i were you i would go with heavy cream in all cases 😉
RoxAna
I didn't scroll down far enough to read the note about being overly salty when using store bought cajun seasoning. So at first taste, it was awful. I was not going to serve this but I had the idea to steam veggies- no salt or seasoning. Once steamed, I added them to the mix. This balanced out the entire dish. It was saved and tasted AMAZING!!!
Krissy
Great recovery! I'm impressed! So glad it worked out.
Mickey
Amazing! No changes needed. Simple and delicious.
Aliki
Wow! Amazing! Better than restaurant quality! So glad we chose to make the Cajun seasoning ourselves. The entire family loved this meal and I can’t wait to make it again. Super easy, too! A must try! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Deborah
Super yummy!
Jane Behr
Question: I have leftover boiled shrimp I'd like to use in this recipe. If I cook them according to recipe they'll be tough. How would you suggest warming them?
Krissy
I would skip step 2 and 3, set the shrimp aside, and add the homemade cajun seasoning and oil to step 4. Make the sauce and then just toss the shrimp in to warm before serving. Enjoy!
Jane Behr
Thank you Krissy. Can't wait for tonight's dinner!
Ash
What is the best way to reheat the leftovers?
Krissy
With both shrimp and alfredo sauce, you want to reheat low and slow. You can do so in a covered dish in the oven, in a saucepan on the stove, or covered in the microwave at 50% power. Low heat for gentle gradual reheating.
Catherine Estes
Loved the recipe, thank you! Quick, easy , and delicious!