Cajun Shrimp Pasta

My Cajun Shrimp Pasta is full of flavor and spice without being too spicy. It’s a filling weeknight dinner that’s surprisingly simple to make. Recipe includes a how-to video!

Restaurant-Quality Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe

This cajun shrimp pasta has become a weekly staple in our dinner rotation. Not just because it’s flavorful and filling, but also because it comes together in just half an hour of prep! You’ll simply season your shrimp, sear it, make the sauce, and add the cooked pasta. It’s easy and satisfying, and it makes a great Lenten dinner or any-time weeknight meal!

Flavor-wise, this dish is perfectly crave-worthy without being too light (as some shrimp dinners might be) or too heavy. The sauce is creamy without being too thick like an alfredo sauce, and it coats everything lightly. It’s a flavorful, perfectly spiced (but not too hot!) dish that your whole family will love.

Why use my recipe:

• Only 20 minutes of cooking.
• Uses a homemade cajun seasoning for the best flavor!
• Can be made with any pasta (though, psst, linguine is my favorite and the obvious best choice).
• Makes a filling and flavorful dinner option during Lent!

What You Need

Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of ingredients needed–the bulk of it is just spices and I’d bet you already have them in your pantry. Do you know what I don’t keep in my pantry? Cajun seasoning! So I just pantry basics to make my own (and you can control the heat best this way, too).

Here’s what you need:

• Shrimp. If you have access to fresh shrimp near you, great! If not, make sure to thaw your frozen shrimp, peel it, and pat it dry before proceeding.
• Pasta. You can really use any pasta, but I like a longer noodle like linguine or spaghetti. Penne is another popular choice.
• Spices. I prefer to make my own cajun seasoning because it gives me complete control over the spices, the flavor, and the heat (speaking of which, increase the cayenne pepper for a spicier dish!). The dish made as-is is pretty mild; my 1 year old and 3 year old can both enjoy it this way.
• Fire roasted tomatoes. Using fire roasted tomatoes incorporates a ton of flavor into this dish (I also use them in my chili!). Make sure to drain yours before adding them.
• Chicken broth. If you’d like to go homemade with this ingredient, feel free to use my instant pot chicken stock instead.

SAM’S TIP: You can leave the tails on or off your shrimp. I leave them on because they look nicer in my photos, but tails off is most definitely easier to eat!

This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta

1. Combine the spices, then measure out one teaspoon and hold on to this for later.
2. Toss the shrimp with the spices in a large bag until coated.
3. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, then drain.
4. Sear the shrimp in an oiled pan over medium-high heat, working in batches (start this process while your pasta is boiling). Remove to a plate once done.

5. Melt the butter in the skillet, then add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic until fragrant.
6. Add the flour and remaining spices and cook until absorbed.
7. Slowly drizzle in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go. Cook until 50% reduced, then stir in the tomatoes.
8. Add the heavy cream and stir until combined.

9. Add the pasta and parmesan and toss to coat.
10. Add the shrimp and cook until warmed through, then serve.

SAM’S TIP: Don’t overcook your shrimp! You’ll know they are done when they turn a pink color and form a “C” shape. Shrimp that are tough and form an “O” shape are overcooked.

Frequently Asked Questions

I know many of you have been enjoying the savory recipes lately, so I’m eager to hear how you like this one!

Enjoy!

Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

My cajun shrimp pasta is full of flavor and spice without being too spicy. It's a filling weeknight dinner that's surprisingly simple to make.

Recipe includes a how-to video!

5 from 22 votes

Print Pin Rate

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 656kcal

Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 oz (226 g) pasta I prefer linguine or spaghetti
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• ▢ ¾ teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper double this for a spicier dish
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 1 lb extra large shrimp peeled, deveined, thawed and patted dry (tails on or off)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
• ▢ 1 (140 g) medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2-3 cloves
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ ⅔ cup (157 ml) chicken broth
• ▢ 14.5 oz (411 g) can fire roasted tomatoes drained
• ▢ ¾ cups heavy cream
• ▢ ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Recommended Equipment

• ▢
  Large skillet

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and keep warm until ready to use (if your pasta is done early, toss with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking). As pasta cooks, prepare shrimp.
  8 oz (226 g) pasta
• In a small dish, whisk together paprika, oregano, thyme, basil, garlic and onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Measure out one teaspoon of spice and set aside for the sauce later.
  1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoons dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon table salt
• Place shrimp in a large plastic bag and toss with remaining cajun seasoning until completely coated.
  1 lb extra large shrimp
• Pour olive oil in a large skillet and turn heat to medium-hi. Once hot, sear the shrimp in batches and transfer to a plate once cooked through.
  2 Tablespoon olive oil
• Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
  2 Tablespoons butter, 1 (140 g) medium yellow onion
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Sprinkle flour and remaining 1 teaspoon of cajun spice over the onion/garlic and cook, stirring, until all flour is absorbed.
  1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• While stirring, slowly drizzle in chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze any browned bits on the bottom. Cook until the broth has been reduced about 50%.
  ⅔ cup (157 ml) chicken broth
• Add tomatoes and stir.
  14.5 oz (411 g) can fire roasted tomatoes
• Drizzle in heavy cream until combined.
  ¾ cups heavy cream
• Add the cooked, drained pasta and parmesan cheese and toss until pasta is coated and cheese is melted. Return shrimp to the dish, cook until warmed through, and serve, topped with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
  ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 656kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 1500mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1956IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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