Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

This Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta is an easy dinner made with tender shrimp, perfectly cooked pasta, and a rich, flavorful Cajun cream sauce ready in about 30 minutes.

Want more shrimp recipes? My Baked Crispy Shrimp with Dynamite Shrimp Sauce, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Baked Coconut Shrimp, and Easy Grilled Lemon Garlic Shrimp are just a click away.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Easy: This creamy cajun shrimp pasta is easier than it sounds. Thirty minutes are spent letting the shrimp marinade so you can cook the pasta during that time. And most of the ingredients you probably already have. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight or a weekend date night so you don’t feel like leaving the house!

Family favorite: Growing up we used to love to eat at this seafood restaurant called McGrath’s. Although it’s no longer around, I’ve grown to love their cajun shrimp pasta so much that I made my own super similar version that my family now begs for on the regular. 

Garlic, all the garlic: The very first thing you do in this easy cajun shrimp pasta is to marinate it in a garlic-y sauce. If you’re a garlic lover like me, may I suggest doubling the garlic just for good measure. 

Pasta: I love penne with this dish but you can use any kind of pasta you like. Or, serve this shrimp with crusty bread to sop up all the delicious sauce.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Olive Oil — I use EVOO But you can use whatever olive oil you like. Be careful not to turn the heat of your skillet up too high when you go to cook the shrimp as the olive oil retains its flavor and beneficial compounds at a lower temperature.

Minced Garlic — Fresh or jarred, whatever you like is fine, just be sure you use a fine mince. Add extra if you like!

Soy Sauce & Brown Sugar — The key to this Cajun shrimp pasta recipe is the salty and sweet from the soy sauce and brown sugar. You won’t want to miss out on this flavor combination. 

Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined — Save yourself the hassle of peeling shrimp after they’ve cooked and just use shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined for your convenience. 

Red Pepper Flakes — Adjust for how hot you’d like this dish to be or leave them out all together. 

Parmesan Cheese — I prefer two kinds of parmesan in this dish. For the shredded parm, I like to shred from the block so that the cheese melts into the dish. The other kind of parmesan I use is the “cheese topping” from a can. This gives a bit of texture with the parmesan flavor. 

Penne Noodles — Starting with cooked pasta makes it easier to just toss the creamy Cajun shrimp into the pasta right when you’re ready to serve. Make sure the pasta has been cooked that day though or that you’ve reheated it with a bit of olive oil to keep it from all sticking together.

Tips for Perfectly Cooked Shrimp

Shrimp cooks VERY fast. Blink and they’ll be done. To make sure you cook shrimp the right way:

• They are done when they turn from opaque to pink. 
• Stir as they cook. 
• When the shrimp form a “C” shape as they cook, that is another indicator that they are ready. 
• Make sure you have a big enough pan for all the shrimp to be able to touch the pan equally for even cooking. 
• Medium-high heat works best for cooking shrimp, any higher and they will cook too fast and unevenly.
• When the shrimp are JUST pink, pull them off the burner. They will continue to cook in the hot pan for another minute or so. 
• Make sure the shrimp are thawed before cooking or the extra water from thawing in the shrimp will cook off the proteins and keep the marinade from absorbing.

FAQs

Variations & Add-Ins

• If you’d like to add some greens to this shrimp, I recommend some finely chopped kale or spinach. Add this at the very end, take it off the heat and stir. It will wilt quickly. 
• For more of a “sauce” to add to this shrimp dish, save the marinade. Pull the shrimp out with a slotted spoon to cook on the skillet as directed. Pour the remaining marinade into a sauce pot and put on high to boiling. Once the sauce boils, turn it down to simmer and add one cup of heavy cream. Let this simmer for a bit. Add a slurry if you’d like the sauce to be thicker. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and pasta when serving. 
• I like to garnish this with chopped basil, thyme, or even green onions. 
• For more of a Cajun feel, consider adding cooked andouille sausage with the shrimp. All you’ll need to do is heat it alongside the shrimp to warm it through and serve.

Storage & Reheating

This Cajun shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing it as it will get rubbery. 

To reheat, add back to a skillet or pan and cook over medium heat till just heated through. Don’t overcook.

More Recipes to Try

• Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta – restaurant worthy dish right at home!
• Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta – creamy, spicy, and utterly irresistible.
• Shrimp Alfredo – a lighter twist on a classic.