Cajun shrimp fettuccine alfredo is a 30-minute dinner made with cajun blackened shrimp, delicate fettuccine pasta, and an easy homemade Alfredo sauce.
Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
Succulent shrimp, creamy sauce, tender pasta- what's not to love? I was on the fence when making the Alfredo sauce with heavy cream (as opposed to a tad lighter bechamel cheese sauce, like my stovetop truffle mac and cheese). I don't like overusing rich ingredients, but this Alfredo sauce is worth it! Also, shrimp is a lean protein, so it balances things out.
This creamy cajun shrimp pasta is an easy dinner recipe the whole family will love (even your picky eaters!). Cajun blackened shrimp has a smokey flavor that compliments the cheesy sauce. Fresh shrimp cooks quickly, which is great for busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
Large jumbo shrimp (or prawn) should be peeled, raw, and deveined. I buy my shrimp already deveined but frozen. They are quick to thaw if you set them in a bowl of water. Do not use cooked shrimp or unpeeled shrimp.
Cajun seasoning - I make my own cajun seasoning for the blackened shrimp with spices in my pantry- smoked paprika, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Make a big batch (like this homemade taco seasoning) and keep it in the pantry for other proteins like chicken, scallops, or rainbow trout. You can substitute store-bought cajun seasoning, and use 5 tablespoon of dry cajun spice for two pounds of meat.
Pasta- My favorite pasta noodles are the refrigerated handmade fettuccine noodles at my local grocery store. Handmade pasta is delicate, tender, and quick to boil! You can also make your pasta from scratch or buy dry pasta. Use fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti pasta for the creamy sauce. I prefer handmade pasta, but sometimes it's not convenient, so packaged dry pasta noodles also work.
Alfredo sauce is mostly heavy whipping cream and shredded parmesan cheese. You don't need to buy fancy parmesan (but you can if you like!). Make sure the cheese is shredded, so it can melt quickly into the cream sauce. Packaged grated parmesan cheese is fine, but the sauce won't be as smooth. Pre-shredded cheese has additives to prevent clumping. The additives affect the way the cheese melts.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
Blackened shrimp: Make the dry cajun spice blend by mixing smoked paprika, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. I promise it's worth the five minutes.
Thaw if frozen. Peel and devein the large raw shrimp.
Mix the deveined shrimp and cajun seasoning. Set aside.
Add olive oil (about two tablespoons) to a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp in a single layer on each side for 2 to 4 minutes.
While cooking the shrimp, boil the pasta in a separate pot (not shown) per the package directions.
Alfredo sauce: Fry the crushed garlic in olive oil for about a minute on medium heat.
Add the heavy cream, stirring until it thickens (about 6 minutes).
Mix in the shredded parmesan until melted. Turn off the heat.
Drain the fettuccine noodles reserving ½ cup of pasta water to thin out the alfredo sauce. Thin out the Alfredo sauce with the reserved pasta water (as desired). Mix the cooked fettuccine noodles and homemade creamy Alfredo sauce.
Add fettuccine Alfredo pasta in a bowl and top with blackened cajun shrimp. Garnish with topped fresh parsley (optional).
Tips and Tricks
I prefer large shrimp because it's easier to pan-sear big chunks than flip over a bunch of small shrimp. Also shrimp cooks quickly, so they will overcook if you aren't paying attention. Overcooked shrimp is rubbery and shriveled up. Not my favorite.
Don't mix the Alfredo sauce and fettuccine noodles until you are ready to serve. The noodles soak up the sauce, making the pasta less creamy. I toss the sauce and noodles as bowls are being doled out.
My cousin, Molly, makes the Alfredo sauce in the same skillet after blackening the shrimp. This saves on dishes and adds some cajun flavor to the Alfredo sauce.
Substitutions
Substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder for 2 cloves of fresh garlic. Fresh crushed garlic is preferred. Use chicken, scallops, or white fish instead of shrimp. Coat the protein in cajun seasoning and pan-sear on a large skillet until cooked.
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📋 Recipe
Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
Cajun Shrimp
- 2 lbs raw shrimp uncooked peeled, deveined
- 1 tablespoon McCormick's chili powder note 3
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika or substitute paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground paprika or substitute smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Alfredo Pasta
- 16 ounces fettucine pasta note 1
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups shredded parmesan note 2
- 2 garlic cloves mashed, crushed, or finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- fresh chopped parsley optional
Instructions
Cajun Shrimp
- Cajun seasoning: Mix the dry cajun spices. Smoked paprika and paprika can be swapped if you only have one kind on hand. If using store-bought cajun seasoning, use 5 tablespoon dry spice for every two pounds of meat.
- Shrimp: Thaw shrimp if frozen. Peel and devein shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Coat the shrimp with the cajun seasoning in a bowl.
- In a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to coat the pan (about two tablespoons). Cook the shrimp in a single layer for 2 to 4 minutes per side (or until the shrimp is cooked). Place the cooked shrimp aside on a plate. Repeat until all shrimp is cooked.
Fettuccine Alfredo
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat. Cook the pasta per the package instructions. Drain the pasta reserving about ½ cup of pasta water (to thin out the Alfredo sauce).
- While the pasta is cooking, make the alfredo sauce. Sauté crushed garlic in olive oil on medium heat for about a minute. Add the heavy cream and continue stirring as the sauce thickens (about 6 minutes). Whisk in the shredded parmesan cheese until it's melted. Take the sauce off the heat.
- Thin out the alfredo sauce (as desired) with the reserved pasta water. Mix the pasta and Alfredo sauce. Serve with cajun blackened shrimp. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Fettuccine pasta either homemade pasta or store-bought dried pasta. Cook the pasta per the box instructions. Fresh handmade pasta cooks quicker than dried pasta. My local grocery store sells handmade pasta in 9 ounce boxes. I buy two boxes (18 ounces total) of handmade pasta and put a little to the side.
- Use any shredded parmesan. I've made this recipe with fancy high-end parmesan and packaged shredded parmesan. Both Alfredo recipes turned out great.
- American chili powder is different from Southeast Asian chili powder. American chili powder is milder and less spicy. I use McCormick's dark chili powder for my cajun seasoning and other chili recipes, like this turkey chili.
- Fresh garlic is preferred, but garlic powder can be substituted if fresh garlic is not on hand. Substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder for 2 cloves of fresh garlic. Shallots can be substituted for garlic also. Large shrimp or prawn is preferred. Small shrimp cook quickly.
- Storage: Store for up to four days in the fridge. Freezing is not recommended.
- Make ahead: Prep the shrimp ahead by deveining, peeling, and coating it in cajun seasoning.
- Substitute store-bought cajun seasoning for homemade seasoning. A good rule of thumb is 5 tablespoon of cajun spice for every two pounds (1 kilo) of protein.
Lee
This was a slam for the kids
Lily
Thanks Lee!