Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta is a quick and easy pasta recipe for busy nights that comes together in under 30 minutes! Large succulent shrimp are coated with spicy cajun seasoning, then added to linguine and a rich creamy alfredo sauce that results in a delicious creamy spicy shrimp pasta! 

Pasta night is a regular occurrence at our house. I love the ease and variations you can whip up (especially on busy weeknights), like this Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini, this Easy Lemon Salmon Pasta, or this delicious Filipino Spaghetti. If you’re looking for a creamy, slightly spicy, and comforting meal to warm you up this winter, this easy cajun shrimp pasta fits the bill. An easy, warming recipe that has a bit of a kick to it - it’s totally decadent and the best recipe for a cold night! 

Jump to:

• Why I love this recipe
• Key Ingredients
• How To This Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe
• Variations & Substitutions
• Frequently Asked Questions & Tips
• More Easy & Delicious Cold-Weather Meals
• Recipe
• Comments

Why I love this recipe

My whole family loves this delicious recipe and it's on regular rotation at our house. Here's why:

• Shrimp and pasta. Is this not the BEST pasta dinner combination ever? Sauteed, juicy shrimp with pasta in a cajun cream sauce; this spicy shrimp alfredo is comfort in a bowl.
• Spicy cream sauce. The creamy cajun sauce is the ultimate in decadent comfort food. I can’t get enough of this cajun shrimp alfredo!
• Super easy recipe. This is an easy recipe for shrimp and a super quick and easy dinner. There's very little prep work involved (just a bit of chopping for the onion, pepper, and garlic). Start to finish, this creole dish will be on your table in under half an hour. (Great for busy weeknights!)
• The Cajun seasoning. If you’ve followed me for long, you’ll know I love spice. This cajun spice (a simple blend of cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, garlic and onion powder, and a handful of other herbs) is superb, and mixed with the cream sauce and shrimp it makes for the ultimate spicy shrimp pasta recipe. And don't worry about the heat - you can totally customize it to your liking!
• Company worthy. Even though this simple shrimp recipe is super simple to make, this meal is also great for a crowd or for a dinner with company. 

Key Ingredients

Just a few simple ingredients are needed for this easy weeknight recipe:

• Pasta. I used linguine in this cajun shrimp alfredo recipe, but you could really use any pasta you like. Linguine is great since it’s a bit broader than regular spaghetti and there’s more room to soak up the sauce, but fettuccine, penne, or even bow-tie would work well here.
• Shrimp. It is a seafood pasta recipe after all! Large shrimp work best for this dish. You can use fresh or frozen. Just be sure to thaw it first if using frozen shrimp. Pro Tip: Buy shrimp that are already peeled and deveined to save some time!
• Cajun seasoning. A key ingredient that adds such a great burst of flavor! It's easy to make your own homemade cajun seasoning but you can usually find premade jars in the grocery store too (Old Bay, Slap Ya Mama, and Tony Chachere's are all popular brands). Just be mindful that the spice level may differ from one mix to another if you’re using store-bought. You may need to adjust the amount you add depending on the level of heat you’re after. (Err on the side of caution and always add a little, then taste before adding more!)
• Garlic. It seasons the shrimp well. And who doesn’t love a good garlicky sauce?
• Sweet onion & red bell peppers. Not only do these colorful veggies add a bit more texture to the dish, but they also help to balance the spiciness of the cajun sauce.
• Diced tomatoes. We’re making a tomato cream sauce here so diced tomatoes are crucial. 
• Heavy cream & Parmesan cheese. These ingredients form the creamy sauce for this creamy shrimp pasta dish. Be sure to use freshly shredded parmesan cheese here, not the stuff in the green can!
• Pasta water. Don’t throw away the water you cooked your pasta in! This starchy cooking water is a great way to thicken your sauce since it’s loaded with the starch from the pasta. It works fabulously to help bind the sauce and the pasta together, and also helps to thicken your sauce. I use this trick for all of my pasta dishes and this recipe is no exception! Reserve about ½ a cup, and just add a little bit at a time to your simmering sauce. (You’ll only need about ¼ cup for this recipe but I always reserve more just in case!) \

How To This Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Recipe

This creamy shrimp pasta is an easy dinner recipe to prepare. Here's how to do it:

1. Prepare the noodles. Add a good pinch of salt to a big pot of water for flavor and boil the pasta according to the instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water once the pasta has cooked.
2. Make the cajun shrimp. While the pasta is boiling, cook the shrimp and veggies. Sautee the sweet onion and red pepper in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add some garlic, cook for one minute more, then add in your raw shrimp and the cajun seasoning. Stir everything together well to coat the shrimp with the cajun seasoning. Cook the shrimp until it turns pink and is no longer translucent, about five minutes. 

3. Make the sauce. Add the diced tomatoes and cream to the same skillet. Stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes longer. (The cajun seasoning used on the shrimp is enough to season the sauce as well.)  

4. Thicken the sauce. Slowly add a couple of tablespoons, and up to ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. 

5. Combine. Remove everything from the heat, add in the parmesan cheese and the noodles, and stir to combine. 

6. Finish and serve. Top the cajun shrimp linguine with additional parmesan cheese, and parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Variations & Substitutions

• Use whatever pasta you have on hand. Fettuccine noodles, penne pasta, whole wheat pasta, or even plain old spaghetti all work great with this recipe.  Use whatever you like or what you have on hand. 
• Add some extra protein. Sausage anyone? Cajun sausage or andouille sausage would be a great addition to this easy meal. Chicken would also be a great addition.
• Lighten up the sauce. I love a heavy cream sauce here, but if you'd like, you could use whole milk, or even half and half to cut back on some of the calories. 
• Change up the seasoning. Everyone has their own favorite cajun or creole seasoning. Experiment by trying a different brand or cajun spice recipe. 

Frequently Asked Questions & Tips

Did you try this spicy Cajun Shrimp Pasta recipe? Let me know what you thought of it in the comments below! And please tag me on IG @frontrangefed with a pic - I love to see your creations!

More Easy & Delicious Cold-Weather Meals

• Easy Red Chicken Enchiladas
• Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Sausage And Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
• Hoppin John
• Weeknight Mushroom Ragout With Quick & Easy Polenta
• Easy White Bean Pasta
• Easy Vegetable Lasagna
• Chickpea Stew With Orzo And Greens

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