This creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Alfredo is a zesty, satisfying one-skillet meal! With Creole-seasoned shrimp, The Holy Trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper, and fettuccine or linguine in a creamy Parmesan sauce, this rich, flavorful dinner will please everyone at the table. Best of all, you can quickly and easily prepare the restaurant-quality dish in the comfort of your own kitchen!
Cajun Shrimp Pasta Alfredo
Skip a trip to Chili's, Applebee's, or Friday's, because this homemade Cajun Shrimp Pasta recipe is so much better than anything you'll find in a local chain restaurant! It's made from scratch with simple ingredients that come together in a beautiful combination of flavors and textures. The smooth, creamy Alfredo sauce perfectly balances the spicy shrimp and the savory vegetables. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or just tossing together a weeknight dinner for your family, this one-pot, easy shrimp recipe is sure to be a hit!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need to prepare the creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of this post.
- Butter: to sauté the shrimp and vegetables.
- Shrimp: any size will work, but I prefer large or jumbo shrimp for their meatier texture. If you're using smaller shrimp, they will cook a little bit faster, so keep a close eye on them.
- Cajun or Creole seasoning: I use this Zatarain's Creole seasoning, but any similar blend will work. The Zatarain's seasoning includes salt, so I don't add any extra salt to the dish.
- Whole milk, chicken broth and heavy cream: the liquid base for the cream sauce. The richness of the cream is balanced by the broth and the milk.
- Onion, green bell pepper and celery: the "Holy Trinity" of vegetables that adds classic Cajun flavor to the recipe.
- Garlic: gives the dish even more savory flavor.
- Pasta: dried fettuccine or dried linguine both work well for this dish, so pick your favorite.
- Parmesan: use very finely-grated Parmesan that you grate yourself on a microplane or the small side of a cheese grater. I do not recommend a can of pre-grated Parmesan for this recipe, because it will not melt as smoothly into the sauce.
- Chopped green onion and fresh parsley: a fresh touch that brightens up the rich dish.
How to Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta
This simple dinner comes together in one pan! You'll cook the pasta right in the same skillet with the sauce, so there are no extra dishes to wash. It doesn't get much easier than that!
- Cook the shrimp with the seasoning in a large Dutch oven or cast iron braiser. Remove to a separate plate.
- Sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic in the same pot.
- Add the milk and broth, and bring the liquid to a simmer.
- Stir in the pasta and cook until tender, about 11 minutes total for fettuccine or 9 minutes total for linguine.
- Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, and green onions. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the cheese melts.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the cooked shrimp, and garnish with parsley.
What to Serve with Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Pair this rich pasta dish with a crisp green salad dressed in Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette, or with a side of green veggies like Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Asparagus, or Amish Green Beans with Brown Butter. Other good options to serve on the side include honey cornbread or corn muffins, buttermilk biscuits or cheese biscuits.
Storage
Leftover shrimp pasta will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the dish because the cream-based Alfredo sauce has a tendency to "break" or separate when thawed, resulting in an undesirable texture.
Recipe Variations
- If you prefer to use a different shape pasta such as penne or bowtie (farfalle), you'll need to adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions. Penne and bowtie pasta will both require a total of about 11 minutes for al dente, while other shapes may be slightly more or less.
- Swap out the shrimp and use diced, boneless, skinless chicken instead.
- Cut the shrimp in half and add 8 ounces of sliced smoked sausage rounds (such as kielbasa or andouille).
- The Cajun seasoning has a bit of heat, but you can make your dish even more spicy by stirring some cayenne pepper into the sauce.
- Make the Cajun Shrimp Pasta with spinach by adding a few cups of baby spinach leaves to the pasta at the very end when you add the cream. The spinach will wilt almost instantly and will add a nice green touch to the dish.
Tips for the Best Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe
- Keep a close eye on the shrimp. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp, so remove them from the skillet as soon as they are pink and opaque. If you overcook shrimp, they become rubbery and tough -- not ideal!
- Use very finely-grated Parmesan that you grate yourself on a microplane or on the small side of a cheese grater. I do not recommend a can of pre-grated Parmesan, a bag of pre-shredded Parmesan, or coarsely-grated Parmesan for this recipe, because those options will not melt as smoothly into the sauce.
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half. The rest of the recipe instructions remain the same.
- Stir the pasta regularly as it simmers so that it doesn't stick to itself and clump together.
- Add fresh herbs to the sauce, if desired. The parsley is a nice finishing touch, but fresh thyme, rosemary, chives, or oregano would all be delicious in the dish, too.
- The Creole seasoning that I use includes a good amount of salt, so I do not add any extra salt to the dish. If your seasoning blend does not have salt in it, you will likely need to season the sauce with salt to taste.
More Shrimp Pasta Recipes to Try
- Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
- Easy Shrimp Scampi
- Shrimp with Ravioli
- Lightened-Up One-Skillet Shrimp Alfredo
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
- ½ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup seeded and diced green bell pepper
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ c. whole milk
- 1 ½ c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz. dried fettuccine or linguine
- ½ c. heavy cream
- 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or cast iron braiser, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and Cajun seasoning; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink and firm, about 4-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a plate.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the Dutch oven. When the butter is melted, add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 more minute. Add the milk and broth to the Dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Add pasta, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. Let cook until al dente, about 8 more minutes for fettuccine or 6 more minutes for linguine, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan and green onions until combined. Simmer until sauce thickens and cheese melts.
- Remove from heat and stir in cooked shrimp. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Keep a close eye on the shrimp. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp, so remove them from the skillet as soon as they are pink and opaque. If you overcook shrimp, they become rubbery and tough -- not ideal!
- Use very finely-grated Parmesan that you grate yourself on a microplane or on the small side of a cheese grater. I do not recommend a can of pre-grated Parmesan, a bag of pre-shredded Parmesan, or coarsely-grated Parmesan for this recipe, because those options will not melt as smoothly into the sauce.
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half. The rest of the recipe instructions remain the same.
- Stir the pasta regularly as it simmers so that it doesn't stick to itself and clump together.
- Add fresh herbs to the sauce, if desired. The parsley is a nice finishing touch, but fresh thyme, rosemary, chives, or oregano would all be delicious in the dish, too.
- The Creole seasoning that I use includes a good amount of salt, so I do not add any extra salt to the dish. If your seasoning blend does not have salt in it, you will likely need to season the sauce with salt to taste.
I can't wait to try the Cajun Shrimp Pasta.... looks delicious!
Thanks, Judy. I hope you enjoy it!
Made this dish and it was very pleasing and satisfying. I'm with you on grating your own cheese from a block or wedge. Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear that, Nick. Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave a note. 🙂