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Overhead shot of creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta in a large cast iron skillet.
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5 from 2 votes

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

This creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Alfredo is a zesty, satisfying one-skillet meal!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword cajun shrimp pasta, cajun shrimp pasta alfredo, creamy cajun shrimp pasta
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 802kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 802kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 438mg | Sodium: 1974mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2176IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 1024mg | Iron: 5mg