Cajun Shrimp and Pasta
Enjoy restaurant-style Cajun Shrimp Pasta at home with this easy, versatile recipe. Shrimp, mushrooms, zucchini, sundried tomatoes and pasta come together with a creamy Cajun sauce.
This Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta never disappoints
In my house, “pasta night” rarely means spaghetti and a jar of marinara. I kind of pride myself on making restaurant-quality pasta dishes, because honestly, it’s one of the easiest things to make as a “home chef.”
If you’ve been drawn to creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta on a restaurant menu before, this recipe is for you. You can customize it to your liking at home, making it with the veggies you like best, and adding exactly as much spice as you want.
And because you’re not churning out restaurant-size quantities, you can rest assured that the shrimp and the noodles will be perfectly cooked, the dish will be piping hot, and the creamy sauce will be exactly the right consistency, and bursting with flavor.
Why you will love this Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- This dish is incredibly versatile, so you can easily customize it by adjusting the spice level, swapping out vegetables that you have on hand, or even substituting the protein.
- It’s an easy way to incorporate a lot of veggies into your dinner in a delicious way.
- With this recipe, you can enjoy a restaurant-quality Cajun pasta right in the comfort of your home, any day of the week.
Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe ingredients
- pasta – I used casarecce because it’s a fun unique shape, but any variety of pasta you like best or have on hand will work!
- shrimp – I used 26-30 size shrimp, but you can use a larger or smaller size and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Cajun seasoning – use a store-bought version or make my homemade Cajun seasoning.
- butter – for sauteeing the shrimp and vegetables.
- mushrooms – I like baby Bella (crimini), but white button mushrooms are also great.
- zucchini – this adds some freshness and a pop of green to the dish.
- sundried tomatoes – adds a tangy sweetness. Use the oil-packed variety, as we’ll also be using some of the oil from their jar for extra flavor.
- garlic – adds an aromatic depth of flavor.
- shallot – adds a mild onion flavor to the dish.
- heavy cream – creates the rich and creamy sauce for this dish.
- chicken stock – thins the sauce just a bit and adds flavor.
- lemon juice – adds a brightness and acidity that balances the richness.
- salt and pepper – to season the pasta to perfection.
- Parmesan cheese – this garnish adds a nutty flavor.
- parsley – an optional garnish for a pop of color and freshness.
Cajun Shrimp and Pasta variations
- VEGETARIAN OPTION – Omit the shrimp and add more veggies, like diced bell peppers, eggplant, and more mushrooms.
- PROTEIN SWAP – Instead of shrimp, feel free to swap in chicken or sausage.
- SPICE IT UP – Adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning for a spicy (or even less spicy) dish.
How to make Cajun Shrimp Pasta
1. PREP PASTA AND SHRIMP. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. While the pasta water is coming to a boil and the pasta is cooking, remove the tails from the shrimp and pat the shrimp dry. Then, toss the shrimp with some of the Cajun seasoning.
2. COOK SHRIMP. In a Dutch oven, saute the shrimp in some butter until they start to to turn pink, then transfer shrimp to a plate.
3. MUSHROOMS. Add remaining butter and the mushrooms to the pot and cook until light golden brown.
4. ZUCCHINI. Add zucchini and cook until zucchini is tender. Transfer the mushrooms and zucchini to the plate with the shrimp.
5. AROMATICS. Add the sundried tomatoes and their oil, garlic and shallot to the Dutch oven and cook for a minute.
6. LIQUIDS. Add the cream, chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining Cajun seasoning and heat to boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is thickened into a thin sauce consistency.
7. DRAIN PASTA. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the pot with the sauce.
8. ADD. Add the shrimp, mushrooms and zucchini to the pot.
9. TOSS. Cook over medium-low heat, while tossing everything together, until the shrimp is cooked through.
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What to serve with this Easy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
While this Cajun pasta already contains quite a bit of vegetables, I’ll usually serve it with an additional vegetable like air fryer Brussels sprouts (pictured above) or Parmesan roasted broccoli.
You can also never go wrong with a fresh side salad tossed with citrus salad dressing, and a great recipe for garlic bread.
Storing Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Cool any leftovers to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Shrimp Cajun Pasta FAQs
To prevent shrimp pasta from drying out, make sure that the sauce is not overly-reduced and too thick. In Step 7, simmer the sauce only until it reaches a thin sauce consistency, as it will continue to thicken as you finish the dish.
Yes, it’s recommended to peel and devein shrimp before adding it to pasta dishes to make it easier to eat and enjoy.
Shrimp cook quickly, so be vigilant to remove them from the pot as soon as they start to turn pink in Step 3, since we’ll be finishing up their cooking process later in this Cajun shrimp pasta recipe.
Easy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces casarecce pasta
- 1 pound raw 26-30 peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 ½ teaspoons Cajun Seasoning divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 8 ounces sliced baby Bella mushrooms
- 1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise then thinly sliced crosswise
- ⅓ cup chopped oil-packed sundried tomatoes plus 1 tablespoon oil from the jar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Heat large pot of salted water to boiling on stove, then cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, remove tails from shrimp and discard; pat shrimp dry with paper towel. Place shrimp in medium bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; toss until all sides of shrimp are coated with seasoning.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp start to turn pink, stirring frequently. Transfer shrimp to large plate and set aside. Shrimp do not need to be fully cooked at this point.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to pot. Add mushrooms and cook 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat or until light golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Add zucchini to pot and cook 4 to 6 minutes longer or until zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushrooms and zucchini to plate with shrimp.
- Return pot to heat and add sundried tomatoes and their oil, garlic and shallot to pot. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add cream, stock, lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Heat to boiling over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is thickened to a thin sauce consistency, stirring frequently.
- Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta. Add pasta and reserved cooking water to pot with sauce.
- Add shrimp, mushrooms and zucchini to pot and cook over medium-low heat 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp is opaque throughout and internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F, stirring and tossing to combine everything.
- Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese, and parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Cool any leftovers to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
