Here’s a dinner to impress that doubles as an easy weeknight meal: try this Cajun Shrimp Pasta! This one scores major points with kids and adults alike at our table. It features irresistibly seasoned Cajun shrimp, colorful veggies, and a rich garlic Parmesan flavoring that lightly seasons the entire batch. Wow! was echoed around the table multiple times as we at it. Of any of the easy dinner ideas we’ve had lately, this recipe stands out as one we couldn’t stop eating!
Ingredients in this Cajun shrimp pasta
This Cajun shrimp pasta is a recipe inspired by the flavors of Cajun cuisine, a style of cooking developed by the Acadians, French colonists living in Canada who were deported to Louisiana in the 1700’s. The cooking style mixes West African, French and Spanish influences and techniques. This recipe shouldn’t be considered traditional Cajun: instead if takes inspiration from the seasoning and ingredients of this style of cooking. Here’s what you’ll need:
Shrimp: fresh or frozen, deveined and tail onOnion, bell pepper, and celery: called the “Holy Trinity” of Cajun cookingGarlicCajun seasoning: homemade, or purchased plus garlic powder and onion powderPastaButterParmesan cheeseCream or milk
Cajun seasoning: homemade vs purchased
You can make this Cajun shrimp pasta recipe with either homemade Cajun seasoning or purchased. Here are some notes on either variation:
Homemade seasoning: The nice thing about this homemade Cajun seasoning is that you can customize the spice level to taste. We like making it less spicy, which means you can use more of it and get more of the other flavors (not just the heat). It takes just 5 minutes to mix up and you can use it for months.Purchased Cajun seasoning: Purchased Cajun seasoning is great if you’re in a rush! We find store-bought varieties can vary in heat level, so taste it before adding. As you’ll see in the recipe below, we decreased the quantity and added garlic powder and onion powder. If you’re using our homemade blend, you can leave that out.
With the quantities in the recipe below, both worked for our entire family: even a 4 year old! If you want to increase the spice, add more cayenne to your spice mix.
A milder variation!
Don’t love spicy food but still want to make this Cajun shrimp pasta? The homemade Cajun seasoning is a great place to start: make it with the low quantity of cayenne and you’ll have a nicely seasoned pasta that works for all eaters. Another option? Try this Blackened Seasoning! It’s got similar flavors but is on the low end of the heat spectrum.
Increasing servings for Cajun shrimp pasta
Want to make a double recipe of this Cajun shrimp pasta? The base recipe has only 8 ounces pasta, which should work for 4 servings if you serve with side dishes. But if you want to increase this recipe for more eaters, here’s what we’d recommend:
Double the pasta to 1 poundDouble the veggies and pasta seasoningsIncrease the shrimp to 2 pounds (not 3): 2 pounds of shrimp should be enough for 8 servings. You may need to cook it in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
Of course, you can cook 3 pounds shrimp if you like: but 2 pounds should be plenty for a crowd with the doubled pasta size.
What to serve with Cajun shrimp pasta
Make sure to serve this Cajun shrimp pasta with some filling side dishes to complete the meal! Here are some complimentary sides we’d recommend:
Corn muffins or bread: Try Classic Cornbread Muffins or Skillet CornbreadPopovers: Go for this delicious and easy Popover RecipeSuccotash: Add colorful Easy SuccotashBlack eyed peas: Try Black Eyed Pea Salad or Easy Creamy Black Eyed Peas.Brussels sprouts: Add Crispy Brussels Sprouts or Brussels Sprouts with Maple GlazeOkra: Pop this Roasted Okra in the oven while you’re making the pasta (or try these other okra recipes)Broccoli or asparagus: Go for Roasted Broccoli or Broiled AsparagusSalad: Add Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula
This Cajun shrimp pasta recipe is…
Pescatarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free or legume-based pasta. 5 from 1 review **If using the homemade Cajun seasoning, you can omit the garlic powder and onion powder in this recipe. For a less spicy variation, use less cayenne in your homemade Cajun seasoning or make homemade blackened seasoning.
