A Winning Shrimp Pasta
If you want a shrimp pasta recipe that’ll spice up your weeknight, look no further. Shrimp, noodles, and Cajun spices are a winning combination. Add lemon, cream, and Parmesan and you’ve got our new favorite Cajun shrimp pasta recipe. It’s an easy shrimp recipe that’s as great for guests as it is an easy family dinner. I like to serve this with a big salad (corn salad would be fab), and a buttery loaf of garlic bread.
Ingredients For Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Pasta: I like to use penne, fettuccini or farfalle. Gluten-free pasta works well, too.
- Shrimp: Large, raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed. If you want to mix it up, try using a blend of shellfish, like in my creamy seafood pasta.
- To season the shrimp: Olive oil, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning (I usually use Tony’s brand), and salt.
- For the sauce: Garlic, chicken stock, sugar, tomatoes, tomato paste, heavy cream, parmesan, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice and reserved pasta water. You can skip the fresh tomatoes and use sun-dried tomatoes instead for a yummy twist.
How to Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Cook the pasta: I like our noodles al dente, so about a minute less than the recommended cook time on the box.
- Season the shrimp: In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, lemon juice, cajun seasoning, and salt until coated.
- Cook the shrimp: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook until pink and cooked through. Shrimp cook quickly!
- Make the sauce: Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and pasta: Add the pasta to the skillet and toss. Cook until the pasta is tender and coated in the sauce. Stir in the shrimp and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve! Sprinkle with parmesan, parsley and red pepper flakes, if using.
How to Store Leftovers
Shrimp pasta is really best when it’s fresh! Seafood always is. However, leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Warm the leftovers gently on the stovetop over low heat, and add a little splash of cream to loosen the sauce if needed. Don’t freeze these leftovers, because freezing will change the texture of the cream sauce and it might break when it is reheated.
Tips For Success
- Different brands of Cajun seasoning vary a lot in terms of the spice blend (I like Tony’s brand best) so be sure to taste your pasta before you add more salt. Some seasoning blends have quite a lot of salt in them already.
- Should you peel shrimp before cooking in pasta? Yes! This makes the entire dish a lot easier to eat. My Cajun pasta with shrimp recipe calls for one pound large shrimp, which is about 24 shrimp. You want them peeled, deveined and tails removed.
- Marinate the shrimp before cooking! Even a few minutes makes a big difference in flavor.
- Cook the shrimp separately and add them back at the end so they don't overcook. You want tender shrimp and al dente pasta! YUM.
- Always grate your own Parmesan for the smoothest, creamiest pasta sauce.
- Add sausage for a little extra heft! Or add veggies, like bell peppers, baby spinach, mushrooms, frozen peas, or corn kernels when you cook the garlic.
- Want more info about buying shrimp? All my best tips for buying shrimp are in this bang bang pasta post.
More Great Shrimp Recipes From The Modern Proper
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