Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Cajun Shrimp Pasta is includes a spicy cream sauce (like cajun Alfredo sauce), juicy shrimp, and recent herbs. You possibly can tone tone the spice within the creamy sauce through the use of much less cayenne pepper and pink pepper flakes. Prepared in about half-hour, this pasta dish is a household favourite – and nice for weeknight meals. Use recent or frozen shrimp.

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe

My household goes wild over this cajun shrimp pasta recipe! And I can’t blame them as a result of it’s outrageously scrumptious… and I don’t even usually like creamy sauces on my pasta recipes. This shrimp scampi is rather more in my “consolation zone”. 

BUT!!! Heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and pepper flakes make this creamy sauce past scrumptious. And shrimp, bell peppers, onions, basil, and parsley add a welcome pop of freshness. I can’t resist diving in for a second serving to after I make this pasta dish! 

We make this creamy cajun shrimp pasta recipe each Christmas Eve. We serve it as part of our seven fishes feast -and it’s at all times one of many first dishes to go! But it surely equally works nicely for weeknight meals, as a result of it’s prepared fairly quick. So good with a glass of wine, a Caesar salad, and a few crusty bread to sop up all of the scrumptious creamy sauce). 

Can I Make This a Gluten Free Pasta Dish?

Sure! There are tons of nice gluten free pasta recipes in the marketplace as of late. My private favourite gluten free pasta is Jovial, particularly their fusilli and spaghetti. I recommend undercooking the gluten free pasta by 1 minute, then letting it cook dinner within the sauce till it’s the right al dente texture. 

Components for Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

• Pasta: I used linguini right here, however virtually any pasta would work nice on this pasta dish. Farfalle (aka bow ties), penne, and spaghetti are a couple of of my favorites. And there are even some nice gluten free pastas on the market now. Be sure you cook dinner the pasta al dente and reserve a number of the salted water in case you might want to skinny the creamy sauce. 
• Olive Oil: You’ll use this ingredient to cook dinner the seasoned shrimp and to cook dinner the pasta sauce. Use no matter olive oil you typical use to your pasta recipes. 
• Shrimp: Peeled and deveined, with their tails on or off! Giant recent shrimp work finest, however frozen will work in a pinch. Be sure you thaw and press as a lot extra moisture out of the frozen shrimp as doable. And for those who’re utilizing smaller shrimp, you could need to cook dinner the shrimp a minute much less.
• Cajun Seasoning: You’ll want garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and dried oregano to make our selfmade cajun spice! Chances are you’ll want further salt and pepper to season the dish later, however this can be a nice start line!
• Butter: I want unsalted, however salted will work in a pinch! Simply cut back the salt known as for within the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon.
• Onion: Diced pink onion provides taste and shade to this pasta dish! In a pinch, yellow or white onion will work positive. 
• Peppers: Purple and inexperienced bell peppers add crunch, taste, and a beautiful pop of shade! In the event you solely have one number of bell pepper, that’s positive, too. 
• Garlic: Like virtually any good pasta recipe, this cajun shrimp pasta requires a ton of garlic! Don’t sub this with garlic powder or reduce on the quantity!
• Crushed pink pepper flakes: Purple pepper flakes add spice to the creamy sauce! In the event you’re seeking to reduce on the spiciness stage, you may omit this ingredient.
• Tomato Paste: Provides simply the correct quantity of tomato taste and richness to the cream sauce! In a pinch, you should utilize a 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes as an alternative. This may change the feel and taste, however will nonetheless be scrumptious. I don’t recommend subbing crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
• White Wine: Use a dry selection, like Sauvignon Blanc. In the event you don’t devour alcohol, be at liberty to sub this with an equal quantity of hen broth. And a teaspoon of white wine vinegar. 
• Hen Broth: I like utilizing hen bone broth, which provides unbelievable taste. However common hen broth will work positive. In a pinch, vegetable broth can even work. 
• Heavy Cream: Aka whipping cream. You shouldn’t exchange the heavy cream with milk, because it is a crucial ingredient for the creamy sauce. 
• Parmesan Cheese: Skip the pre-grated selection, as a result of it’s handled with preservatives that can stop it from evenly incorporating into the sauce. As a substitute, purchase a piece of parmesan and use a cheese grater to freshly grate the cheese. You gained’t remorse it!
• Basil: Be sure you use recent basil right here! Dry basil ought to NOT be used. In the event you don’t have recent basil, skip it. 
• Parsley: Once more, recent is finest. Really, recent is a should. Don’t sub dried parsley right here. In the event you don’t have recent parsley, you’ll be able to skip it. 

Cajun Shrimp + Creamy Sauce = Heaven

1. Prepare dinner the Pasta: You possibly can place the drained pasta into a big bowl and canopy it with foil or a big plate till wanted. It can save you slightly pasta water for later. In case your pasta seems too dry, add slightly little bit of the reserved pasta water till you obtain your required texture. The salted water will loosen the pasta. 
2. Prepare dinner the Shrimp: Add the shrimp in a big deep skillet or dutch oven and cook dinner simply till pink. Make certain to not over cook dinner right here! Higher to undercook the shrimp than overcook. Because the seasoned shrimp will return into the pan on the finish and might end cooking then. 
3. Prepare dinner the Bell Peppers: And onions, then toss within the garlic and crushed pink pepper flakes and cook dinner. Mmm… your kitchen ought to scent wonderful proper now!
4. Make the Creamy Sauce: Add the tomato paste and white wine, then pour within the hen broth. Combine nicely till you’ve gotten a easy and creamy sauce. Stir within the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley. Use low warmth so your sauce can’t curdle.
5. Add the Shrimp: Toss the shrimp and pasta again into the skillet and cook dinner for only a minute or two. You need to heat the shrimp and noodles, with out overcooking them, so timing is every part right here. Toss nicely within the cream sauce to coat every part. 
6. Style and Regulate:  Chances are you’ll want so as to add further salt, pepper, and/or different spices to make it good. It’s also possible to style the cream sauce BEFORE you add the shrimp and pasta, and alter then.

In order for you a spicer cream sauce, you’ll be able to add extra crushed pink pepper flakes, black pepper, or cayenne pepper. And if the sauce is simply too spicy, you’ll be able to at all times add a teaspoon of sugar – granulated sugar or brown sugar. Simply you should definitely combine the pasta dish very nicely after including any further spices or seasonings. 

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