Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

How to make Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

450 g 1 lb. shrimp, deveined and cleaned

227 g 8 oz. linguine

15 ml 1 tbsp. oil

5 ml 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

240 ml 1 cup half and half

28 g 2 tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic minced

A few sprigs of chopped parsley

1 Roma tomato diced small

28 g ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

15 ml 1 tbsp. lemon juice, optional

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Dry the cleaned shrimp with a paper towel and season with a few pinches of salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of cajun seasoning.

Cook the linguine per package instructions and set aside.

Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the oil and butter.

Add the shrimp in an even layer followed by the minced garlic, turning after 2 minutes, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until pink and cooked through.

Add the half and half and Parmigiano-Reggiano to the pan.

Bring to a low boil, while whisking constantly for 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and add the cooked linguine, diced tomato, chopped parsley, and the remaining ½ tsp cajun seasoning.

Squeeze on the lemon juice (optional).

Stir to combine, and the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools down.

If the sauce is clumpy, add another splash of half and half to make it creamy!

Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes:

You can use any pasta shape you like in this recipe, but linguine or fettuccine work best to hold the creamy sauce.

Be careful when adding lemon juice to the sauce as it can curdle the dairy. If you’re not confident in doing this step, you can skip it or add just a small amount.

If the sauce is too thick, you can add more half and half or some pasta water to thin it out to your desired consistency.

If you prefer a spicier dish, you can increase the amount of Cajun seasoning or add some red pepper flakes.