Description
Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta delivers bold Louisiana flavors in a comforting Italian-inspired dish. Spicy andouille sausage and succulent shrimp combine with rich parmesan sauce over perfectly cooked pasta for a memorable meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) fettuccine or penne pasta
- 0.5 lb (226 g) smoked sausage, sliced (e.g., andouille or kielbasa)
- 0.5 lb (226 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 0.75 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tsps Cajun seasoning
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside, preserving the perfectly cooked noodles.
- Seafood and Sausage Searing: Generously coat shrimp with Cajun seasoning. In a hot skillet, melt butter and sauté shrimp until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, caramelize sausage slices to a golden-brown perfection, then transfer with the shrimp.
- Sauce Crafting: Lower skillet temperature and add remaining butter. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, creating a rich liquid foundation. Whisk in Parmesan cheese until smooth, then season with additional Cajun spices, salt, and black pepper. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken.
- Final Assembly: Fold pasta into the creamy sauce, ensuring complete coverage. Gently incorporate seared shrimp and sausage, blending flavors and heating thoroughly. Garnish with fresh parsley and optional red pepper flakes for an extra flavor kick.
- Serving: Plate immediately, presenting a vibrant, aromatic Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta that promises a culinary adventure.
Notes
- Optimize Pasta Texture: Cook pasta just until al dente to prevent mushiness, ensuring a perfect bite that holds up in the creamy sauce.
- Control Spice Level: Adjust Cajun seasoning quantity based on personal heat preference, starting with less and gradually adding more for balanced flavor.
- Prevent Seafood Overcooking: Remove shrimp from heat the moment they turn pink and opaque to maintain tenderness and avoid rubbery texture.
- Sauce Consistency Hack: If sauce becomes too thick, slowly add small amounts of pasta water to achieve desired creamy consistency without losing flavor intensity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 150mg