Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta is a creamy, spicy pasta dish made with juicy shrimp, garlic, parmesan, and cherry tomatoes. The cajun spice brings the heat, and a squeeze of lemon balances the cream. It's easier than it looks, and it's ready in 30 minutes.

I make it at least twice a month, and there is never any left by the end of dinner. It goes well with garlic bread and a green salad. I use sungold cherry tomatoes from my garden when they are in season, but any tomatoes work.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• What Is Cajun Seasoning?
• How to Clean and Prepare the Prawns?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta?
• How to Keep the Sauce Smooth
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Variations
• How to Store the Leftovers?
• What to Serve with Cajun Shrimp Alfredo?
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Just like my Creamy Prawn Pasta, this cajun shrimp alfredo comes together in one pan next to the pasta pot. The difference is the cajun spice, which gives the sauce real heat and color.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Dinner is on the table in 30 minutes with one pan and a pasta pot, and most of that time is the pasta boiling.

• The shrimp sear on their own and only go back into the pan at the end. They stay plump and juicy instead of overcooking in the sauce, which is what ruins most creamy shrimp pastas.

• There is no flour and no roux in the sauce. Cream, parmesan, and a splash of starchy pasta water thicken it in a couple of minutes.

• The cajun spice goes into the sauce, not onto the shrimp, so the spice flavors the whole dish and nothing burns in the pan.

• Cherry tomatoes are not traditional in an alfredo, but I think their sweetness against the spice is what makes this version work.

• The leftovers taste just as good the next day, and they even freeze well.

What Is Cajun Seasoning?

Cajun seasoning is a Louisiana spice blend built on paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Every brand mixes it a little differently, which is why two jars can differ so much in salt and heat.

If you want to mix your own, combine 2 parts paprika with 1 part each of cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, black pepper, and salt.

This recipe uses the blend in the sauce rather than on the shrimp, so every bite of pasta gets the spice, not just the prawns.

How to Clean and Prepare the Prawns?

I buy my shrimp already peeled and deveined for this shrimp alfredo, so you can skip this part. If yours are shell-on, here is how to prepare them:

Remove the prawn head by holding the prawn by the body with one hand and then firmly grasp the prawn's head with your other hand. 

Peel off the shell and then peel off the remainder of the prawn's outer layer. Pull the legs off using your fingers from its underside. Then pull off the tail, firmly holding the body of the prawn with one hand and grabbing the prawn tail with your other hand.

Devein the prawn with the help of a sharp, small knife. Cut a small line that runs down the length of the prawn's back and use the tip of the knife to pull out the vein.

You can watch the short video attached to the recipe card to see how to peel and devein raw prawns.

Once you have your prawns shelled and deveined, you can keep them in the freezer for up to three months to use later in recipes such as Chorizo and Prawn Pasta or Creamy Shrimp Pasta.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Shrimp - I use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp (king prawns). Large ones, around 21-25 shrimp per pound, stay the juiciest. Frozen shrimp are fine; most are frozen right after catching anyway, so thaw them overnight in the fridge.

• Fettuccine - Any long pasta works here; spaghetti or linguine are fine swaps.

• Cherry tomatoes - Any ripe cherry tomatoes work; the sweeter, the better.

• Cajun spice - Use your favorite blend, or mix your own with the proportions in the section above.

• Cream - Use heavy cream (double cream in the UK).

• Parmesan - A block of real parmesan, grated at home. The smooth-sauce section further down explains why.

• Fresh herbs - Chopped parsley and dill freshen up the rich sauce.

How to Make Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta?

Put a large pot of well-salted water on to boil and cook the fettuccine until al dente, following the packet timing. Before draining, save around 100 ml (about half a cup) of the pasta water.

Sear the Shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side, until they just turn pink.

Don't cook them longer; they finish warming through in the sauce later. Transfer them to a plate.

Make the Sauce

Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same pan you seared the shrimp in. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they soften and start to burst.

Season with the cajun spice, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper, then pour in the cream. Let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes.

Stir in the grated parmesan until it melts into the sauce. Return the shrimp to the pan, stir in the chopped parsley and dill.

Add the drained fettuccine with the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta.

Take the pan off the heat and serve the cajun shrimp alfredo pasta straight away, with extra parmesan on top if you like.

How to Keep the Sauce Smooth

Alfredo-style sauces turn grainy for three reasons: pre-shredded cheese, too much heat, and adding the cheese too fast.

Pre-shredded parmesan is coated with anti-caking starch that never melts properly, so buy a block and grate it yourself.

Once the cream is in, keep the pan at a gentle bubble; if the sauce boils hard, the cheese proteins seize and the sauce splits.

Add the parmesan gradually and stir as you go instead of tipping it all in at once. If the sauce still turns grainy on you, take the pan off the heat and whisk in a splash of cold cream, which usually brings it back together.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Raw shrimp work much better than pre-cooked ones in this cajun shrimp alfredo; pre-cooked shrimp turn rubbery in the hot sauce.

• Cajun seasoning brands vary in salt and heat. Taste the sauce before adding any extra salt.

• Grate the parmesan yourself. The pre-shredded kind is coated with starch and will not melt smoothly.

• Save the pasta water before draining, and never rinse the pasta. The starch is what makes the sauce cling to it.

• Keep the cream at a gentle bubble once it goes in. Cream catches and scorches over high heat.

• Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge and freeze for 3 months, but do not freeze them if your shrimp were already frozen when you bought them.

Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Variations

• Add sliced andouille or any smoked sausage with the shrimp for a heartier version.

• Swap the shrimp for chicken. Cut it into bite-size pieces and sauté until cooked through before starting the sauce.

• Halve the cajun spice if you are cooking for anyone who minds the heat.

• Stir a handful of spinach in with the pasta if you want some greens in it.

How to Store the Leftovers?

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat them gently in a pan with a splash of milk, which loosens the sauce back up.

They freeze well for up to 3 months. The pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits, so it does not split the way a pot of cream sauce would. Do not freeze the leftovers if your shrimp were already frozen when you bought them.

What to Serve with Cajun Shrimp Alfredo?

Here is what I serve with this pasta:

• Warm, crusty Sourdough Bread for mopping up the sauce.

• A simple salad such as Lebanese Fattoush Salad to balance the creamy sauce.

• Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes if you are feeding a hungry crowd.

• Roasted vegetables such as Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious and easy seafood recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this creamy Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂