My Cajun Shrimp Pasta is stuffed with taste and spice with out being too spicy. It’s a filling weeknight dinner that’s surprisingly easy to make. Recipe features a how-to video!

Restaurant-High quality Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe
This cajun shrimp pasta has turn into a weekly staple in our dinner rotation. Not simply because it’s flavorful and filling, but additionally as a result of it comes collectively in simply half an hour of prep! You’ll merely season your shrimp, sear it, make the sauce, and add the cooked pasta. It’s straightforward and satisfying, and it makes an excellent Lenten dinner or any-time weeknight meal!
Taste-wise, this dish is completely crave-worthy with out being too gentle (as some shrimp dinners could be) or too heavy. The sauce is creamy with out being too thick like an alfredo sauce, and it coats every thing evenly. It’s a flavorful, completely spiced (however not too scorching!) dish that your complete household will love.
Why use my recipe:
- Solely 20 minutes of cooking.
- Makes use of a selfmade cajun seasoning for the finest taste!
- Might be made with any pasta (although, psst, linguine is my favourite and the apparent best option).
- Makes a filling and flavorful dinner choice throughout Lent!
What You Want
Don’t be overwhelmed by the variety of components wanted–the majority of it’s simply spices and I’d wager you have already got them in your pantry. Are you aware what I don’t hold in my pantry? Cajun seasoning! So I simply pantry fundamentals to make my very own (and you may management the warmth finest this manner, too).

Right here’s what you want:
- Shrimp. If in case you have entry to recent shrimp close to you, nice! If not, be sure that to thaw your frozen shrimp, peel it, and pat it dry earlier than continuing.
- Pasta. You possibly can actually use any pasta, however I like an extended noodle like linguine or spaghetti. Penne is one other common selection.
- Spices. I favor to make my very own cajun seasoning as a result of it offers me full management over the spices, the flavour, and the warmth (talking of which, improve the cayenne pepper for a spicier dish!). The dish made as-is is fairly gentle; my 1 yr outdated and three yr outdated can each get pleasure from it this manner.
- Fireplace roasted tomatoes. Utilizing hearth roasted tomatoes incorporates a ton of taste into this dish (I additionally use them in my chili!). Be certain to empty yours earlier than including them.
- Hen broth. When you’d wish to go selfmade with this ingredient, be happy to make use of my immediate pot hen inventory as a substitute.
SAM’S TIP: You possibly can depart the tails on or off your shrimp. I depart them on as a result of they give the impression of being nicer in my images, however tails off is most undoubtedly simpler to eat!
That is simply an summary of the components I used and why. For the complete recipe please scroll all the way down to the underside of the submit!
The best way to Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta

- Mix the spices, then measure out one teaspoon and maintain on to this for later.
- Toss the shrimp with the spices in a big bag till coated.
- Prepare dinner the pasta in boiling salted water, then drain.
- Sear the shrimp in an oiled pan over medium-high warmth, working in batches (begin this course of whereas your pasta is boiling). Take away to a plate as soon as carried out.

- Soften the butter within the skillet, then add the onion and cook dinner till softened. Stir within the garlic till aromatic.
- Add the flour and remaining spices and cook dinner till absorbed.
- Slowly drizzle within the hen broth, scraping the underside of the pan as you go. Prepare dinner till 50% lowered, then stir within the tomatoes.
- Add the heavy cream and stir till mixed.

- Add the pasta and parmesan and toss to coat.
- Add the shrimp and cook dinner till warmed via, then serve.
SAM’S TIP: Don’t overcook your shrimp! You’ll know they’re carried out once they flip a pink coloration and kind a “C” form. Shrimp which might be robust and kind an “O” form are overcooked.

Steadily Requested Questions
The cream on this recipe makes the sauce hearty with out being too wealthy. It additionally offsets the spices and smooths out the flavour properly, so I don’t advocate skipping it completely. When you merely can’t discover cream, half and half would possibly work as a substitute, however you might not want as a lot of it.
This dish is finest ready recent to keep away from overcooking the shrimp and the pasta. This isn’t to say you possibly can’t make it upfront, however that it received’t style the identical reheated.
No. It’s necessary to cook dinner the shrimp with the spices to infuse the flavour. Plus, utilizing already cooked shrimp would most undoubtedly lead to robust, overcooked shrimp within the closing dish.

I do know lots of you could have been having fun with the savory recipes recently, so I’m keen to listen to how you want this one!
Take pleasure in!
Let’s bake collectively! I’ll be strolling you thru all of the steps in my written recipe and video under! When you do that recipe, be sure you tag me on Instagram, and you too can discover me on YouTube and Facebook

Cajun Shrimp Pasta
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Servings: 4 servings
Energy: 656kcal
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Directions
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Deliver a big pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook dinner pasta in response to package deal directions. As soon as cooked, drain and hold heat till prepared to make use of (in case your pasta is completed early, toss with a teaspoon of olive oil to stop sticking). As pasta cooks, put together shrimp.
8 oz pasta
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In a small dish, whisk collectively paprika, oregano, thyme, basil, garlic and onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Measure out one teaspoon of spice and put aside for the sauce later.
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoons dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon floor black pepper, ½ teaspoon desk salt
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Place shrimp in a big plastic bag and toss with remaining cajun seasoning till utterly coated.
1 lb additional giant shrimp
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Pour olive oil in a big skillet and switch warmth to medium-hi. As soon as scorching, sear the shrimp in batches and switch to a plate as soon as cooked via.
2 Tablespoon olive oil
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Cut back warmth to medium and add butter to the skillet. As soon as melted, add onion and cook dinner till softened, about 3-5 minutes.
2 Tablespoons butter, 1 medium yellow onion
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Add garlic and cook dinner till aromatic, about 30 seconds.
2 teaspoons minced garlic
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Sprinkle flour and remaining 1 teaspoon of cajun spice over the onion/garlic and cook dinner, stirring, till all flour is absorbed.
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
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Whereas stirring, slowly drizzle in hen broth, scraping the underside of the pan to deglaze any browned bits on the underside. Prepare dinner till the broth has been lowered about 50%.
⅔ cup hen broth
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Add tomatoes and stir.
14.5 oz can hearth roasted tomatoes
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Drizzle in heavy cream till mixed.
¾ cups heavy cream
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Add the cooked, drained pasta and parmesan cheese and toss till pasta is coated and cheese is melted. Return shrimp to the dish, cook dinner till warmed via, and serve, topped with further parmesan cheese if desired.
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Vitamin
Serving: 1serving | Energy: 656kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 31g | Fats: 34g | Saturated Fats: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 12g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 1500mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1956IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 3mg
Dietary info is predicated on third-party calculations and must be thought-about an estimate solely. Precise dietary content material will differ based mostly upon manufacturers used, measuring strategies, cooking technique, portion sizes, and extra.
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