Creamy Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces linguine or your favorite shape of pasta
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pound large or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, (plus more to taste)
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced , (optional)
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped, (optional)
- Cajun seasoning to taste, (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Place the shrimp in a medium bowl and toss with the Cajun seasoning.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter and the olive oil. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side or until it turns pink. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and reserve.
- Into the same skillet, add the heavy cream, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Stir and simmer on low heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix well until slightly thick. If the creamy sauce gets too thick, you can add additional heavy cream or some of the pasta water.
- Drain the cooked pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Add the cooked pasta and shrimp to the skillet. Mix gently with the sauce until well combined. If the dish looks a bit dry (and needs a bit more creaminess), you can add some of the reserved pasta water.
- Season to taste with additional Cajun seasoning and garnish with sliced green onions and parsley (optional). Serve immediately!
Notes
- Before draining your pasta, remember to save some cooking water. If your sauce gets too thick or your pasta gets a bit dry, add some pasta water to make it creamy again.
- This Cajun Shrimp Alfredo is not spicy but has just a bit of a kick. If you love spicy food, add more Cajun seasoning or cayenne pepper.
- Some store-bought Cajun seasoning mixes are very salty. If that is the case, you may need to reduce the amount of seasoning mix you add to sauce.
- We always have a batch of homemade Cajun Seasoning mix in the pantry. Homemade seasonings are more affordable and you can customize it to your taste.
- Shrimp cooks quickly. When the shrimp turns pink, it is done! If you are not sure if the shrimp is completely cooked through, cut one in half. The inside should be white and no longer translucent.
- You can make the Alfredo sauce with Half & Half or even whole milk, although the consistency will be a bit lighter. Heavy cream produces the richest and creamiest sauce.
- This Cajun pasta dish is best when served immediately. However, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 366 kcal, Carbohydrates: 43 g, Protein: 30 g, Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 290 mg, Sodium: 887 mg, Potassium: 262 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 785 IU, Vitamin C: 7.2 mg, Calcium: 184 mg, Iron: 3.5 mg
