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Home » Recipes » Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

January 14, 2022 by Alida Ryder 1 Comment

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We love this easy creamy Cajun shrimp pasta recipe. Juicy shrimp cooked in a savory, spicy cream sauce over al dente pasta? Yes please!

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

  • Shrimp/prawns. I prefer peeling and deveining my own shrimp/prawns as they are always the juiciest. However, feel free to use any peeled and deveined shrimp. Frozen shrimp should be thawed completely and patted dry with paper towels.
  • Olive oil.
  • Butter. 
  • Fresh garlic. 
  • Spices: Cajun seasoning, paprika, oregano and chilli flakes for extra kick. I prefer using a combination of spices to get the most flavor into the dish but if you have a cajun seasoning you like, feel free to use only that.
  • White wine. 
  • Heavy cream / fresh cream.
  • Lemon juice.
  • Salt and pepper.
  • Pasta, of your choice. Gluten-free or whole wheat pasta works well here. The sauce is also delicious served over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. I prefer long pasta shapes like spaghetti or fettucine but short shapes like penne pasta will also work.
  • Optional: Feel free to add veggies like sliced bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini or peas to the sauce. Simply sauté with the garlic and herbs before adding the white wine.

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

How to make Cajun Shrimp Pasta

  1. Cook the pasta: Place a large pot of salted water over medium heat. Bring to the boil then season generously with salt. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook  according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of water then drain and set aside.
  2. Season and cook the shrimp: Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a large bowl then add the olive oil, crushed garlic, half of the seasonings and a generous pinch of salt. Stir to coat the shrimp in the spices. Heat a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp for a minute per side until they are golden brown and just cooked. Remove and set aside.
  3. Make the cream sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds then add the remaining spices. Cook for another 30 seconds then pour in the white wine. Allow the pan to deglaze and the wine to reduce by half. Pour in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Allow the cream to simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the shrimp back to the pan with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Allow the shrimp to heat through.
  4. Serve: Toss the creamy sauce and shrimp with cooked pasta of your choice and a splash of the reserved pasta water and serve scattered with fresh parsley and oregano (optional). You could add a generous grating of Parmesan cheese too.

How to thicken creamy pasta sauce

By simmering and reducing, the sauce will naturally thicken. However, if you prefer using a thickener, stir some corn starch or all purpose flour into cold water to make a paste. Pour a teaspoon of the flour paste into the sauce and whisk until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.

Can I make this ahead?

Although this is definitely best served straight away, the leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated on the stove with a splash of water until hot throughout.

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp pasta recipes

  1. Creamy lemon garlic shrimp pasta
  2. Easy Shrimp Vodka Sauce Pasta
  3. Creamy Tuscan salmon shrimp pasta
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cajun shrimp pasta, Cajun shrimp pasta recipe, Shrimp pasta
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 612kcal
Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

  • 500 g (1lb) pasta
  • 500 g (1lb) shrimp / prawns peeled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp crushed fresh garlic
  • 1 cup white wine I used Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place a large pot of salted water over medium heat. Bring to the boil then season generously with salt.
  • Once boiling, add the pasta and cook  according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of water then drain and set aside.
  • Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a large bowl then add the olive oil, crushed garlic, half of the seasonings and a generous pinch of salt.
  • Stir to coat the shrimp in the spices.
  • Heat a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp for a minute per side until they are golden brown and just cooked.
  • Remove and set aside. 
  • In the same pan, melt the butter and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds then add the remaining spices.
  • Cook for another 30 seconds then pour in the white wine. Allow the pan to deglaze and the wine to reduce by half.
  • Pour in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Allow the cream to simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  • Add the shrimp back to the pan with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Allow the shrimp to heat through. 
  • Toss the creamy sauce and shrimp with cooked pasta of your choice and a splash of the reserved pasta water and serve scattered with fresh parsley and oregano (optional).

Nutrition

Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3053IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, Pasta, Recipes, Seafood Tagged With: Cajun shrimp pasta, creamy pasta sauce, dinner, Easy dinner, Pasta, Pescetarian, shrimp, shrimp pasta

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Comments

  1. nak

    May 2, 2022 at 9:41 AM

    yum cant wait to make tomorrow

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Alida, mom of twins and creator of Simply Delicious. I hope to encourage a love for cooking by creating fool-proof recipes that are easy and delicious. Read More…

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