This creamy Cajun shrimp pasta combines tender shrimp, vibrant vegetables, and a zesty Alfredo-style sauce. Swap in chicken, sausage, tofu, or omit the protein to make a vegetarian version.
He’s mostly vegetarian but eats seafood sometimes, always hungry for pasta, and insists on a big side salad saved for last. I eat mostly vegetarian too, but crave bold, savory, and spicy food, love colorful veggies on the plate, and prefer to cook with as few dishes as possible. The compromise? This dreamy, creamy Cajun pasta.
We cooked this together on a night when I wanted protein, so we added shrimp. (In Spain, peeling and deveining shrimp is a bit of work, but worth it.) We made a lighter Alfredo-style sauce, seasoned it with just enough Cajun spice for a lively kick without overwhelming milder palates, and tossed everything with sautéed peppers and onions, fresh spinach, and perfectly al dente pasta. Finished with extra Parmesan and sliced green onions, plus a big salad and a crisp white wine, it was a win for both of us — and even better when the dishes were taken care of afterward.
This dish is flexible: swap proteins, change the vegetables, or adjust the heat to suit your tastes. Below is a clear ingredient list and straightforward method so you can recreate this comforting, flavorful meal at home.
Creamy Cajun Pasta Ingredients:
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy Cajun pasta:
- Shrimp: Use peeled, deveined shrimp, or substitute chicken, sausage, steak, or tofu. To keep the dish vegetarian, omit the protein entirely.
- Vegetables: A colorful mix of bell peppers, red onion, diced tomatoes, and baby spinach. Other vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, or asparagus will also work well.
- Diced tomatoes: A can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes adds depth, but fresh chopped tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes are good alternatives.
- Pasta: Any shape you prefer; penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine all pair nicely.
- Creamy Alfredo sauce: A lightened-up version made with a roux, stock, milk, Parmesan, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce the sauce by half if you want a lighter dish.
- Cajun seasoning: Store-bought or homemade. Cajun blends vary in heat; start with half the suggested amount if you prefer milder flavors and add more to taste.
- Toppings: Optional garnishes include extra Parmesan and thinly sliced green onions.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp Pasta:
This recipe takes a bit longer than a 30-minute meal if you make the sauce from scratch, but multitasking speeds things up. Follow these steps:
- Cook the pasta. Boil in generously salted water until al dente, then drain. For best results, cook the pasta near the end so it’s hot when combined with the sauce.
- Sauté shrimp and vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, sliced red onion, and bell peppers, and cook 4–5 minutes until shrimp are pink and opaque and the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp. For extra zip, toss the shrimp in an additional tablespoon of Cajun seasoning before cooking.
- Prepare the creamy Cajun Alfredo sauce. In a separate saucepan (or reuse the sauté pan after removing the shrimp and vegetables), heat oil or butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Whisk in flour to form a roux and cook one minute. Gradually whisk in chicken or vegetable stock until smooth, then whisk in milk, drained diced tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and Cajun seasoning. Cook until the sauce thickens and nearly simmers. Taste and season with salt, freshly cracked pepper, and more Cajun seasoning if desired.
- Combine and serve. Toss the cooked pasta with the shrimp, vegetables, creamy sauce, and a handful of baby spinach until the spinach wilts and everything is evenly coated. Serve warm, topped with extra Parmesan and sliced green onions if you like.
Possible Variations:
You can easily adapt this recipe to match your preferences:
- Change the protein: Swap in cooked chicken, sausage, steak, or tofu.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the protein and load up on vegetables.
- Add different vegetables: Try mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or zucchini.
- Adjust the spice: Increase Cajun seasoning or add cayenne for more heat, or halve the seasoning and add milk to tone down spiciness.
Enjoy this comforting, flavorful pasta—perfect for weeknights or a casual dinner with friends. ♡
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
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Ingredients
Pasta Ingredients:
- 12 ounces uncooked pasta, any shape (penne works well)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound large raw shrimp*, peeled and deveined
- 2 medium bell peppers, cored and thinly sliced (one red, one yellow suggested)
- 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 batch Creamy Cajun Alfredo Sauce (see below)
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions, extra freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Creamy Cajun Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 cups milk
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Cook pasta al dente in a large pot of generously salted water. Drain and set aside; for best timing, cook pasta near the end so it’s hot when combined.
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Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add shrimp, sliced onions, and bell peppers; sauté 4–5 minutes until shrimp are cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp.
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Meanwhile, make the cream sauce: heat oil or butter, sauté garlic 1–2 minutes, whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in stock until smooth, then add milk, drained diced tomatoes, Parmesan, and Cajun seasoning. Cook until slightly thickened, then adjust salt, pepper, and seasoning to taste.
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Combine pasta, sautéed shrimp and vegetables, sauce, and baby spinach. Toss until the spinach wilts and everything is coated. Serve warm with optional green onions and extra Parmesan.
Notes
Additional Info
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!