Description
Cozy, restaurant-style comfort food blending juicy shrimp, tender pasta, and a bold, velvety Cajun cream sauce in one skillet for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
12 ounces fettuccine or penne pasta
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 small yellow onion
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 9-11 minutes, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
Season the shrimp. Toss in 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Sear the shrimp. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Cook shrimp until pink and firm, 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Sauté vegetables. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic until softened, 3-4 minutes.
Make the sauce. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, remaining Cajun seasoning, butter, and Parmesan. Simmer 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Combine the dish. Add cooked pasta and shrimp to the skillet. Toss with sauce, adding pasta water as needed. Mix in optional red pepper flakes.
Finish with seasonings. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley before serving.
Notes
Use gluten-free pasta if needed. Add steamed broccoli or spinach for extra veggies. Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 350mg