Cajun Shrimp Pasta
A creamy cajun shrimp pasta recipe featuring perfectly seasoned shrimp and a rich, spicy sauce built from the classic Cajun holy trinity, ready in about 30 minutes
Equipment
- Large skillet
- pot for pasta
- Tongs
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1½ tbsp Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Season and Cook the Shrimp
- Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning until evenly coated. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the shrimp in a single layer.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp turn pink and opaque throughout, being careful not to overcook them. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Build the Sauce
- While the shrimp cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water, and set aside.
- In the same skillet used for the shrimp, melt the butter over medium heat and add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper, cooking for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and remaining ½ tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, cooking for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring well to combine while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then stir in the Parmesan cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. If using spinach, add it now and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
Combine and Serve
- Add the cooked shrimp back into the skillet along with the drained pasta, tossing everything together until well coated in the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with fresh parsley before serving immediately while hot.
Notes
- Cooking the shrimp separately and adding it back at the end helps prevent it from overcooking while the sauce comes together, since shrimp can quickly turn rubbery if left in the pan too long.
- Building the sauce in the same skillet used for the shrimp picks up all those flavorful browned bits, adding extra depth to the finished dish. Reserving a bit of pasta water before draining is a simple trick that helps loosen the sauce to the perfect consistency without diluting the flavor.
- If you're sensitive to spice, start with a smaller amount of Cajun seasoning and taste as you go, since blends vary significantly in heat level between brands.
- Adding spinach right at the end keeps it bright green and prevents it from turning mushy or overcooked in the sauce.