Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta is the perfect mix of comfort food and a little indulgence! Succulent shrimp, a kick of Cajun spice, and a rich, creamy sauce come together in this easy, flavorful dish. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
The bold Cajun seasoning combined with the creamy Alfredo sauce really brings everything to life. And the pan-fried shrimp add such a delicious, tender bite.
If you love shrimp, try my popular Dynamite Shrimp, Yaki Udon with Shrimp or the sweet and spicy General Tso’s Shrimp.
Trust me, this incredibly, mouthwatering dish is going to be your new favorite!
Table of Content
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy - With minimal prep and cook time, this dish is ready in just 20 minutes.
- Easily Customizable - This easy Cajun shrimp pasta recipe is extremely versatile. Check out my variations for some ideas. You can make it spicier, healthier or vegetarian depending on your dietary preferences.
- Fancy yet Simple - Bold, complex flavors from the spicy Alfredo sauce, juicy shrimp, and nutty Parmesan make this dish so decadent. It’s one of those luxurious meals that feels so upscale but is so simple.
Don't miss out on some of my popular pasta recipes: Pasta with Pesto Rosso (Sundried Tomato Pesto), Sausage Pasta Bake and Penne Arrabbiata.
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
For the Shrimp
- Shrimp - Nothing like fresh shrimp but frozen ones would also work perfectly in this pasta. If using fresh, peel and devein them. You can use chicken too.
- Lemon Juice
- Cajun - You can use a homemade Cajun seasoning blend or buy it. But if you are using store-bought Cajun, be mindful of adding any extra salt, because it varies from brand to brand. You can also use this spice mix for my Cajun Shrimp Tacos.
For the Pasta & Sauce
- Pasta - You can use any form of pasta with this recipe including penne, fusilli, farfalle to name a few. I prefer string pastas for my Cajun pasta recipe and would go for fettuccine, pappardelle, linguine or tagliatelle.
- Other Seasonings - Besides Cajun mix you will need smoked paprika and red pepper flakes to season the shrimp and pasta. Salt is optional, depending on which Cajun seasoning you use. I also used dried parsley for extra flavor.
- Butter - use unsalted so that you can control the sodium content.
- Olive Oil
- Garlic - Go for freshly minced garlic for best results. Although I don’t recommend it, you can substitute with a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Onion
- Bell Pepper - any color works.
- Tomato Paste - Many recipes use tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes but I am not fond of the tart tomato flavor in this pasta. So a hint of concentrated tomato paste is perfect to deepen the colour of the sauce and the sweetness balances everything too.
- Cream - I used heavy cooking cream with 15% fat content. You can also opt for whipping cream with 30% fat, or even cream cheese.
- Parmesan - If you find Parmesan strong you can swap it with its milder sister Grana Padano.
- Green Herbs - you can use fresh parsley or basil.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta
This creamy cajun pasta with shrimp will be ready within 20 minutes.
- Season the shrimp - Coat the shrimp in Cajun spice blend, smoked paprika and lemon juice. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Cook the shrimp - Pan-fry the shrimp in olive oil. Flip only once in between and cook till they are golden-brown. Remove to a plate.
- Boil the pasta - Add the pasta to a large pot of salted water and cook al dente according to package instructions. Time the pasta with the sauce so that you can immediately toss it in.
- Sauté the veggies - Melt some butter in the same pan and scrape any bits stuck on to the bottom. Then sauté the garlic, onion and red bell pepper till they are soft.
- Make the sauce - Pour in the heavy cream along with the seasonings and let the cream thicken on medium low heat. Mix in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Your spicy cream sauce is ready!
- Combine everything - Toss in your boiled pasta, cooked shrimp and fresh basil. Loosen the sauce with reserved pasta water if required. Immediately turn off the heat when everything is incorporated.
- Garnish & serve - Remove on a plate and garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan. Serve the shrimp cajun pasta with garlic bread!
Expert Tips
- Time your pasta boiling with the sauce. Boil pasta till al-dente and then directly add to the sauce. The sauce sticks better to the pasta and will absorb all the beautiful flavors. Do not rinse the pasta!
- Don’t overcook the shrimp or they will get very rubbery. Frozen shrimp cook faster than fresh, raw shrimp.
- Use the same pan to make the sauce which you used for cooking shrimp. The juices and leftover bits in the pan deepen the flavour of the creamy Cajun sauce.
- Keep an eye while sauteing garlic and onion. If you burn them they will leave a bitter taste in the sauce.
- Use a block of Parmesan cheese for optimum flavour. Avoid pre-shredded cheese! Freshly grate the Parmesan for the sauce.
Variations
- Sub the protein: Replace shrimp with your choice of protein e.g chicken (like in my Fettuccine Alfredo with Grilled Chicken), steak, sausage, or tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Add more veggies: Besides bell peppers; mushroom (have a peek at this mushroom sauce), broccoli, baby spinach and/or cherry tomatoes work perfectly with this creamy spicy shrimp pasta.
- Play with the seasonings: Swap dried parsley with oregano or Italian seasoning. Or add cayenne pepper or black pepper for some extra heat.
- Lemon Zest: Lemon, lime juice or lemon zest in the sauce adds a nice citrusy taste.
- Skip the cream: If you don’t like the taste of cream sauce, you can make a roux with butter, flour and chicken stock.
- Make it healthy: Sub with whole-wheat pasta (or even gluten-free pasta) and ditch the heavy cream (opt for a roux-based sauce instead). Add more protein and veggies.
For more creamy pasta varieties check out my Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Pasta and Creamy Chicken Fajita Fettuccine!
Storage
Cream-based pastas are best enjoyed fresh because the cream thickens in the fridge. If you have leftovers, store the pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Reheat in a pan or microwave with a splash of hot water (or cream) to loosen up the cream sauce. I don’t recommend freezing this Cajun pasta as the cream can separate.
If you are preparing for a party and want to make in advance, you can store boiled pasta and chopped veggies separately in an airtight container.
FAQ
Cajun seasoning has a little bit of a kick to it but it’s nothing mind-numbing. If you want to omit any extra heat, skip the red pepper flakes.
The great thing about this pasta is that the sauce works perfectly with any kind of pasta from penne to fettuccine. My favorite kind is the string pastas like tagliatelle or linguine. And if feeling a bit fancier try the Mafaldine pasta!
Of course! You can use any type of protein you prefer. Chicken, steak, sausage, or tofu; all work great.
Pair this delicious dish with my Caesar Salad (just skip the grilled chicken on top) or Cheesy Garlic Bread (takes 3 minutes in the air fryer).
Video
More Pasta Recipes
Looking for more cozy, comforting pasta dishes? Give these a try:
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 150 g (0.3 lb) shrimp
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2-3 teaspoon Cajun
For the pasta:
- 200 g (0.4 lb) tagliatelle
- Water
- Salt
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ (40g) yellow onion diced
- ½ (80g) red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoon concentrated tomato paste
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cooking cream
- 2-3 teaspoon Cajun seasoning see note 2
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes see note 3
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup Parmesan freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or parsley) chopped
- Salt to taste
For the garnish:
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Parmesan freshly grated
Instructions
- Prep your shrimp. If using fresh raw ones, peel and devein them. And if using frozen ones, make sure they are defrosted and pat any moisture dry with a paper towel.
- Season the shrimp with Cajun blend, smoked paprika and lemon juice. Mix and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized pan. Use the same pan for pasta later. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook on medium-high heat. The shrimp cook very fast, so don’t fry them for more than 2-3 minutes per side. Flip only once and remove from the pan once they are golden brown and have formed a crust.
- Fill a big pot with water one-third of its way. Add around a tablespoon of salt and bring it to boil. Then add the tagliatelle and cook it al dente according to the timings on your package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in the same pan, melt some butter and scrape any bits stuck to the pan. Then saute the minced garlic for 1 minute on medium heat. Add in the diced onion and red bell pepper. Saute for another 3-4 minutes until both veggies are soft.
- Mix in tomato paste and add a splash of water to loosen the concentrated tomato.
- Pour the cream and bring the heat to medium-low. Add the Cajun seasoning, dried parsley and smoked paprika. Mix well and let the cream thicken slightly. Then turn the heat to low and mix in freshly grated Parmesan. Taste for salt at this point and adjust if needed.
- Toss in cooked pasta, shrimp and chopped fresh basil. Add in half to one cup of pasta water depending on how saucy you want it. Incorporate everything well and turn off the heat. Don’t let the pasta sit for too long on a hot stove or the cream will start thickening further.
- Add to your serving dish and garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan. Enjoy with garlic bread!
Video
Notes
- Frozen, blanched shrimp will require less cooking time than raw shrimp.
- Different brands of Cajun seasoning vary in flavor and salt content. Start by adding 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, and then adjust with more seasoning or extra salt, if needed.
- Reduce or skip the red pepper flakes if you don’t like too much spice.
- For the best flavour, go with a block of Parmesan cheese. Skip the pre-shredded stuff!
Nutrition
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Rowha says
I absolutely loveee this pasta recipe! It's the right amount of creamy, and the cajun flavouring adds such an amazing flavour. I make it everytime when I'm craving pasta, and trust me, I never get tired of it. 😂