Cajun Shrimp Pasta coated in a cream sauce infused with fresh lemon juice and garlic for the ultimate quick and easy dinner.
There's nothing more satisfying than a really delicious dish that you can whip up when you have little time, and this Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta recipe will help you achieve just that.
If you love shrimp, this recipe will not disappoint. The shrimp are seared until tender then gently tossed in a flavorful velvety cream sauce with the perfect amount of pasta.
Let's talk about the creamy sauce for a moment. It's a toss-up of whether or not the shrimp or the cream sauce is the star of this dish. I mean... the sauce is REALLY that delicious.
Before I provide details about the sauce, I first want to quickly mention that my daughter has had to eliminate dairy from her diet. Due to this recent change, I've had to tweak many of our favorite recipes, so she could enjoy them and still feel good. So, for this recipe, I used unsweetened canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream or milk.
Unsweetened coconut milk doesn't taste like coconut at all instead it offers the same creamy texture and consistency as heavy cream but without the dairy. In fact, it's been a great substitute for many cream based recipes or for recipes that call for a splash of milk.
In fact, the combination of the sauteed aromatics and blooming Cajun spice blend not only intensifies the flavor but whisking in the unsweetened coconut milk also creates a beautifully colored creamy sauce.
Now, let's dive into the specifics of this easy to follow recipe, so you too can get dinner on the table quickly.
Ingredients
- Jumbo shrimp
- Kosher salt
- Cajun seasoning (store bough or homemade)
- Black pepper
- Grape-seed oil (or olive oil)
- Pappardelle or fettuccine are my go-to (or any other shaped pasta will work)
- Garlic cloves
- Canned unsweetened milk
- Clarified butter (or regular butter)
- Juice of a lemon or lime to brightened the dish
Essentials
- Cast iron skillet, dutch oven or other heavy bottom pan
- Steak knife for de-veining shrimp
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Baking sheet lined with paper towels for drying shrimp
How to make Cajun shrimp pasta
- Cook pappardella or your preferred shaped pasta according to directions on packaging making sure to salt the water first.
- De-vein the shrimp, wash with cold water, and dry shrimp thoroughly. Please refer to How to Cook Frozen Shrimp for tips on how to prepare shrimp for this recipe.
- Season shrimp and place in prepared skillet and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides then place on a clean plate and set aside.
- Use the same skillet to make the cream sauce and allow it to simmer then add the cooked pasta and seared shrimp back to the sauce and toss until well coated add freshly squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon.
- Taste and add additional salt if necessary.
- Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve immediately.
- Please refer to recipe card below for detailed instructions.
How to store and reheat Cajun shrimp pasta
When storing leftovers, place in a container with an airtight lid and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
When reheating, you can either: 1) place the pasta in pot or pan, add a little splash of water, unsweetened coconut milk, or chicken broth and place over low heat and give a gentle stir occasionally until warm then plate or 2) tear off a large piece of foil, place 1 or 2 servings of pasta onto the foil, add a little splash of water or chicken broth and fold the edges of the foil to create a packet then place into a 375 degree preheated oven until warm.
Can I freeze
I do not recommend freezing because the texture of the cream sauce can change resulting in an unpleasant taste and mouth-feel and if vegetables have been added, they can potentially become mushy and undesirable.
Tips
- When searing shrimp, make sure it only cooks for 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on the size of the shrimp if cooked too long shrimp will become dry and tough.
- Do not over-crowed the skillet when searing the shrimp instead cook the shrimp in batches to prevent the shrimp from steaming.
- Use a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet to really achieve that crusty outer coating on the shrimp.
- When purchasing shrimp, aim for a bag of frozen raw shrimp that's either large or jumbo in size.
- Salt pasta water and cook pasta noodles until al dente.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta water in a measuring cup or other small cup and use a little at a time to thin out the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Be mindful of the pasta to sauce ratio as the pasta can absorb the sauce as a result do not over-pack the skillet with pasta.
- Pro-tip: There will be juice remaining on the plate after adding the seared shrimp back to the skillet. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon onto the plate and swirl then pour over the creamy shrimp pasta for an extra boost of flavor.
- To level up the amount of heat, add cayenne pepper to the sauce or leave it out completely.
Other shrimp dishes you may like
Try Grilled Shrimp Skewers for a fun Spring or Summer recipe. White Wine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta for an elegant dish that's quick and easy. For the ultimate seafood feast you gotta try my Cajun Seafood Boil or my Seafood Gumbo Recipe.
Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest for more recipe ideas.
Thanks for visiting,
~Cree
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or other heavy bottom skillet
- Steak knife for de-veining the shrimp
- baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb moisture from the shrimp
- Pot for boiling pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw frozen shrimp (large or jumbo in size)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4-½ tbsp Cajun seasoning (store bought or homemade - 2-½ tbsp for seasoning shrimp & remaining 2 tbsp for adding to the skillet for blooming)
- 5 cloves fresh garlic (minced or finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp grape-seed oil (or olive oil)
- 1 tbsp clarified butter or ghee (or regular butter if not diary free)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (juice from half a lemon or lime)
- ¾ lb pappardelle pasta (fettuccine or other shapped pasta)
- 13.66 oz canned unsweetened coconut milk (I use one can of Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk)
Instructions
- Generously salt a pot of water and follow the instructions on the packaging to prepare the pasta. Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the pasta water in a cup.
- Remove the shell, de-vein and wash the shrimp is cold water then place on a baking sheet lined with layers of paper towels to thoroughly dry. Also, use a couple of more paper towels to pat dry the top of the shrimp. Removes the wet paper towels and discard. Season the shrimp generously with Cajun seasoning, then add kosher salt and black pepper. Stir until shrimp is coated with seasoning.
- Place a skillet over high heat, add grape-seed oil and clarified butter to the skillet. When hot, place the shrimp on the skillet to be seared for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides. Do not crowd the pan or over the shrimp. Cook the shrimp in batches if necessary. Place seared shrimp on a clean plate. Set aside.
- To make the sauce: Grab a can of unsweetened coconut milk and gently shake before opening. Add more oil or clarified butter to the skillet if needed, add in minced garlic and saute just until fragrant. Add the Cajun spice blend to the skillet to bloom for 10 seconds or so. Slowly, whisk in the can of unsweetened coconut milk until ingredients are well combined. Add a dash of salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cream sauce and toss until well coated. Be mindful of the sauce to patio ratio because if you add to much pasta, the pasta can absorb the sauce leaving you with a pot of dried pasta and hardly any sauce which you do not want.
- Add the seared shrimp back to the skillet. If you have any remaining juices on the plate that the shrimp were on. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon or lime onto the plate and give a quick swirl. Then pour the liquid into the skillet and toss gently until the shrimp are also coated in the cream sauce.
- Taste and add more kosher salt if needed. Lightly squeeze the little more lemon juice over the top and garnish with roughly chopped cilantro or parsley.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- When searing shrimp, make sure it only cooks for 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on the size of the shrimp if cooked too long shrimp will become dry and tough.
- Do not over-crowed the skillet when searing the shrimp instead cook the shrimp in batches to prevent the shrimp from steaming.
- Use a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet to really achieve that crusty outer coating on the shrimp.
- When purchasing shrimp, aim for a bag of frozen raw shrimp that's either large or jumbo in size.
- Salt pasta water and cook pasta noodles until al dente.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta water in a measuring cup or other small cup and use a little at a time to thin out the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Be mindful of the pasta to sauce ratio as the pasta can absorb the sauce as a result do not over-pack the skillet with pasta.
- Pro-tip: There will be juice remaining on the plate after adding the seared shrimp back to the skillet. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon onto the plate and swirl then pour over the creamy shrimp pasta for an extra boost of flavor.
- To level up the amount of heat, add cayenne pepper to the sauce or leave it out completely.
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