The first time I made this pasta the family said it was one of the best pasta dishes they had ever had! The flavors are incredible. Don’t be intimidated by the use of fresh jalapeño in this dish, as it really is not that spicy, but rather this gives it a great depth of flavor. Please don’t be tempted to leave it out! Also do not substitute pickled jalapeños either. I have only used Emeril’s Essence as the cajun seasoning in this recipe, and it is my preference, but you can use any one that you like.
TIPS: I also have substituted chicken for the shrimp in this recipe and its great too. You can use raw diced chicken and cook it just like the shrimp, just sauté it longer to be sure its cooked through. I have also used shredded rotisserie chicken, tossed in the cajun seasoning and then just thrown in the sauce at the end, which works great. Lastly, sometimes I just make the pasta alone and do not add the shrimp or chicken. Just follow the “pasta” portion of the recipe. It makes a great side dish all on its own!
Shrimp Pasta in Cajun Cream Sauce
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning (such as Emeril's Essence)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
For the Pasta:
- 1 lb dried spaghetti or linguine
- salt
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 C onion finely chopped
- 1/4 C fresh jalapeño pepper (about 1 medium) finely chopped, seeds removed
- 1 Tbsp garlic minced
- 1 1/2 C heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning (such as Emeril's Essence)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 C diced tomatoes (fresh or drained from a can)
- 1/2 C reserved pasta water
- 1 C pepper jack cheese grated
- 1/4 C parmesan cheese grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
Start the Pasta:
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a large stock pot. Cook pasta until al dente (still slightly firm). Reserve 1/2 C pasta water, and drain. Set aside.
For the Shrimp:
- Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet, melt butter and oil. Toss raw shrimp with cajun seasoning and salt. Once butter has melted and is hot in the pan, add the shrimp and sauté until well browned on both sides and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from sauté pan and set aside in a separate bowl.
For the Pasta:
- Melt additional 1 Tbsp butter in the same sauce pan as the shrimp were cooked in. Add onions and jalapeños and sauté, stirring often, until starting to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the cream, the cajun seasoning, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to the pan and bring to a hard simmer. Cook until the cream reduces by a quarter and thickens, about 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, reserved pasta water, cooked shrimp and cooked linguine, and toss over low heat, to incorporate the sauce and finish cooking pasta, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the pepper jack and parmesan cheeses, as well as the basil and parsley (if using). Toss to blend until the cheese is fully melted and sauce is smooth. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!