Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta

This Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is a simple dinner recipe. With juicy Cajun shrimp, seared andouille sausage and veggies tossed in an excellent easy cream sauce, it’s the proper weeknight meal. Get pleasure from this with a easy facet salad to make a meal for the complete household.

Why Make Shrimp Sausage Pasta

There are such a lot of causes to like this creamy Cajun shrimp pasta with andouille sausage. Listed here are my prime two:

Simple recipe for a busy weeknight: this important dish comes collectively in about half-hour with easy components that you simply most likely have already got in your fridge or pantry.

Stuffed with taste: the shrimp and sausage together with the Cajun spice make the proper base for the creamy white sauce.

Elements Wanted

Make sure to take a look at the recipe card on the backside of the put up for the precise ingredient quantities and full directions. Right here’s what you’ll want to collect to make this straightforward dish:

Contemporary Shrimp: I’m utilizing uncooked deveined shrimp. I want jumbo shrimp or giant shrimp (13-15 or 16-20 dimension).

Selfmade Cajun Seasoning: it is a selfmade spice mix that features issues like garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika. It’s massive on taste, however decrease on salt in comparison with Cajun Seasoning blends out of your native grocery retailer. So, in the event you decide to not use it, then use store-bought cajun seasoning such as you would salt (about 1/2 tsp to begin).

Olive Oil

Andouille Sausage (Cajun Sausage): I’m utilizing packaged andouille sausage that I choose up from the grocery retailer, however any smoked sausage will work on this recipe.

Garlic Cloves: minced

Shallots: these are sliced thinly. I used them as a result of I had them available, however you would additionally use yellow onion or crimson onion on this recipe. 

Bell pepper: I’m utilizing a crimson bell pepper that I thinly sliced. Any coloration bell pepper, de-seeded jalapeño peppers (for a spicier dish) or a mix of bell peppers would additionally work

Hen Broth (Hen Inventory): I picked up a low sodium hen broth from the grocery retailer. I want this over pasta water as a result of it provides extra taste to the dish. 

Heavy Cream

Parmesan Cheese: I’m utilizing grated cheese that’s situated within the refrigerated part of the market. This parmesan cheese has much less sodium than the grated parmesan cheese that you simply’d discover within the aisle. So, make sure to choose that up because the shelf-stable cheese will probably make this dish very salty. 

Cayenne Pepper: that is non-compulsory, however offers the dish slightly kick. Pink pepper flakes would even be possibility.

Cooked Pasta: just like my hen and chorizo pasta, I used penne pasta that I cooked in accordance with the package deal directions for al dente. If you happen to don’t have penne pasta, you should use different pasta shapes like fettuccine pasta.

Methods to Make Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage

Sear the shrimp and sausage

Combine the shrimp in a bowl with the cajun seasoning. Put aside.

Warmth the olive oil in a big skillet or saute pan to medium-high warmth.

Add the smoked sausage in an excellent layer and prepare dinner till browned (about 3-4 minutes per facet). Take away the browned sausage from the pan and put aside. Make sure to go away the drippings within the pan and don’t wash it.

In the identical pan that you simply cooked the sausage, add the seasoned shrimp in an excellent layer. Saute for two minutes per facet. Throughout this step, the purpose is to get a browned sear on the skin of the shrimp. Take away the cooked shrimp and put aside. It should proceed to prepare dinner because it rests. Don’t wash the pan.

Sauté the greens

Add the garlic, shallots and peppers to the pan that you simply cooked the shrimp and sausage in. Saute till the onions are translucent (about 3-4 minutes). 

Make the creamy Cajun sauce

Pour within the hen broth and deglaze the pan if wanted (this implies scraping up any browned bits that could be caught to the underside of the pan). 

Flip the warmth to medium low. Add heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Combine to create a sauce. For a spicy kick, add the cayenne pepper to this step. 

Return the cooked shrimp, sausage, and pasta to the pan. Stir to include.

High Cooking Ideas & FAQs

For a creamier cream sauce, add cream cheese or one other gentle cheese like Boursin cheese: You possibly can add 2 oz to the pan while you add the hen inventory. Combine it to include and take away any lumps.

Use a dutch oven or different deep pan: this can can help you layer on the flavour from browning the shrimp and sausage to creating the sauce and including the pasta. 

Storage and Leftovers

Retailer your leftover Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.

What to Serve with Shrimp Pasta

In addition to a easy facet salad, this creamy cajun pasta dish would work properly with:

Extra Cajun Shrimp Recipes