Description
Creamy Cajun shrimp pasta is a quick, flavor-packed dish featuring tender shrimp, bold spices, and a rich, velvety sauce clinging to every strand of pasta. Perfect for a cozy dinner or impressing guests.
Ingredients
- Shrimp (peeled and deveined): 1 pound
- Fettuccine or linguine pasta: 12 ounces
- Heavy cream: 1 cup
- Parmesan cheese (freshly grated): ½ cup
- Garlic cloves (minced): 3 cloves
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Cajun seasoning: 2 tablespoons
- Paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Black pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Fresh parsley (chopped): for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Sear shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Stir in heavy cream, remaining Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
- Toss in the cooked pasta and shrimp, stirring to coat evenly. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
- Pat shrimp dry before cooking for a better sear.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for smoother melting and better flavor.
- Adjust spice level by reducing Cajun seasoning to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 195mg
Keywords: creamy Cajun shrimp pasta, spicy shrimp pasta, quick dinner, Cajun recipe, easy pasta dish