Give your weekly menu slightly kick with this 30-minute Cajun Shrimp Pasta! With total wheat noodles, juicy shrimp, and colourful veggies tossed in a flippantly highly spiced cream sauce, this recipe is a home made model of everybody’s favourite restaurant-style recipe.
This lighter Cajun shrimp pasta recipe is encouraged by means of a well-loved eating place of my youth: Chili’s.
Their Cajun shrimp pasta used to be at all times considered one of my go-to orders (once I wasn’t down the road playing Applebee’s Oriental Hen Salad).
Highly spiced blackened shrimp cooked in a thick Alfredo sauce, it used to be indulgent, heavy at the penne pasta, gentle at the veggies, and precisely that type of factor that top college Erin craved (I wasn’t cued into lighter takes like Garlic Shrimp Pasta but).
These days, I nonetheless love a wealthy and creamy plate of pasta every now and then, however with a couple of tips to make the recipe simply as wholesome and healthy as it’s enjoyable.
5 Celebrity Overview
“This used to be completely scrumptious!!! I’ve by no means left a touch upon a recipe ahead of, however I simply HAD to for this one.”
— Joselyn —
Guidelines for Making Cajun Shrimp Pasta with out Cream
Why does eating place meals style so excellent (hi, Lettuce Wraps | Copycat PF Changs)? Generally, as a result of they comprise huge quantities of fats and salt (sodium)—nice for an evening out, no longer so nice for on a regular basis house cooking.
To recreate this restaurant-style Cajun shrimp pasta, I made a couple of swaps to the vintage recipe to make it a forged selection for weeknight foods.
- No Cream. In contrast to Chili’s recipe, which depends on butter and heavy cream for richness, I opted for milk, cornstarch, and light-weight cream cheese to create a more fit however equally-delicious sauce with much less fats and less energy.
- Further Veggies. Eating places in most cases pass heavy on pasta as it’s an reasonably priced aspect that comprises American citizens’ expectancies for BIG eating place parts. This recipe, then again, opts for extra veggies and no more pasta for extra diet.
- Entire Wheat Pasta. I at all times favor to succeed in for total wheat pasta (like on this Hen Alfredo Bake) when cooking a pasta dish at house to sneak slightly more fiber and entire grain goodness into each and every chew.
Those nutritious swaps paired with clean prep and crowd-pleasing taste will briefly flip this model of Chili’s Cajun shrimp pasta into an immediate circle of relatives favourite.
Find out how to Make Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
My objective for this recipe used to be to make a copycat Cajun shrimp pasta that’s tasty and higher for you with out shedding its indulgent enchantment.
The luscious, creamy sauce provides decadence (similar to in Pasta al Limone), and elements like total wheat pasta, bell peppers, mushrooms, and shrimp carry a delicious steadiness.
The Components
- Shrimp. Fast-cooking, clean to consume, and engaging in quite a few dishes (the whole lot from Shrimp Tacos to highly spiced Bang Bang Shrimp), shrimp also are a very good supply of protein. v
- Entire Wheat Pasta. Buying and selling out white pasta noodles for his or her whole-grain counterpart right away boosts your consumption of fiber, protein, and different vitamins.
- Lowered-Fats Cream Cheese. This can be a creamy Cajun shrimp pasta with out cream! Simply 4 oz of sunshine cream cheese are all you want for a sauce that tastes thick and creamy like Alfredo, for a fragment of the energy. (it’s additionally my secret to creamy Turkey Tetrazzini.)
- Milk. Making this dish with nonfat milk lightens issues up.
- Bell Peppers. Crisp and colourful, a trio of bell peppers load each and every twirl of the fork with numerous diet A, diet C, and fiber.
- Mushrooms. Whilst the unique Chili’s model of this Cajun pasta does no longer comprise mushrooms, I like the addition. They style tremendous delish on this recipe (and Mushroom Pasta) and upload heaps of dietary advantages.
- Hearth-Roasted Diced Tomatoes. A one-ingredient trick to make this Cajun shrimp pasta style like Chili’s. I stay a number of of those cans in my pantry always so as to add immediate taste (and additional veggies!) to my foods. (When you love tomato cream sauces, take a look at Penne Alla Vodka subsequent).
- Cajun Seasoning. Cajun seasoning is a mix of flavorful Cajun spices and herbs comparable to smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, thyme, and oregano. It provides this pasta its signature taste. You’ll additionally use it for Cajun Shrimp Boil Foil Packs and Cajun Shrimp and Grits.
Tip!
Observe that Cajun seasoning comprises salt, so relying on how a lot you select so as to add to this recipe (extra seasoning = extra highly spiced), you’ll need to alter the volume of salt you upload in other places accordingly. If in case you have issues with sodium content material, you should definitely examine other Cajun seasoning manufacturers.
- Inexperienced Onions. For a last flourish of colour that provides further zip and freshness.
The Instructions
- Prepare dinner the pasta to al dente, drain, and put aside.
- Toss the shrimp with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Upload the shrimp to a preheated huge skillet with oil.
- Prepare dinner for three to five mins. Take away the cooked shrimp to a plate.
- Saute the bell peppers with extra Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Upload the tomatoes.
- Upload a part of the fairway onions. Take away the greens to the plate with the shrimp. Whisk the milk and cornstarch in combination.
- Pour the milk combination into the skillet with butter, whisking till clean. Upload the cream cheese. Stir in the remainder Cajun seasoning.
- Go back the whole lot to the pan.
- Toss to coat the entire elements within the sauce.
- Best with further inexperienced onions, chopped recent parsley, or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. ENJOY!
Garage Guidelines
- To Retailer. Refrigerate pasta in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven at the stovetop over medium-low warmth or within the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze pasta in an hermetic, freezer-safe garage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge ahead of reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
As much as 1 day prematurely, cook dinner the pasta and chop the greens. Retailer each and every aspect in a separate hermetic garage container.
What Facets Cross with Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Really useful Gear to Make this Recipe
- Dutch Oven. Best possible for making Cajun shrimp pasta.
- Whisk. This small whisk is straightforward to care for.
- Blending Bowls. A collection of blending bowls is very important in each and every kitchen.
The Easiest Dutch Oven
A fine quality Dutch oven like this one will permit you to get ready the whole lot from casseroles to pastas to truffles.
Be warned; this creamy Cajun shrimp pasta is set to fan the flames of your busy weeknight dinner expectancies!
Continuously Requested Questions
Because the recipe is written, this pasta has a kick (like this Highly spiced Shrimp Pasta) however surely gained’t spark off alarm bells if you’re conversant in spice. The creamy sauce is helping to chill it down. You’ll additionally squeeze lemon juice excessive for some more zip that balances the spice.
When you’d just like the pasta warmer, be happy so as to add further Cajun spice and/or cayenne pepper or purple pepper flakes till it’s as highly spiced as you care to dare.
When you favor a thicker sauce, you’ll cut back the volume of milk within the recipe. Upload regularly to the sauce and prevent when it reaches the required consistency. When you’ve by accident added an excessive amount of milk, you’ll experiment with including further any other cornstarch slurry or an additional tablespoon of nonfat cream cheese to thicken the sauce again up.
When you favor a thinner pasta sauce, you need to upload an additional splash of milk or achieve for a couple of tablespoons of rooster broth or reserved pasta water.
For a gluten-free model, use gluten-free noodles. I like to recommend rinsing them with water when they cook dinner to stay them from changing into gummy.
A Cajun shrimp pasta eating place serving from Chili’s comprises an estimated 1190 energy! Conversely, this wholesome Cajun shrimp pasta comprises simply 340 energy in keeping with serving.
- 8 oz total wheat linguine noodles or pasta of your selection
- 1 pound huge shrimp peeled and deveined*
- 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning divided, or to style
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus further to style
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 medium purple bell pepper thinly sliced and halved
- 1 medium orange or yellow bell pepper thinly sliced and halved
- 1 medium inexperienced bell pepper thinly sliced and halved
- 8 oz sliced child bella (cremini) mushrooms sliced
- 1 small bunch inexperienced onions thinly sliced, divided
- 14 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes tired (1 can)
- 1 1/4 cups nonfat milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 oz gentle cream cheese softened to room temperature
-
Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Get ready pasta consistent with the bundle directions for al dente.
-
Warmth the oil in a big, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high warmth. Position the shrimp in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat.
-
As soon as the oil is sizzling however no longer but smoking, upload the shrimp.
-
Prepare dinner simply till they flip from grey to crimson, are flippantly company, and entirely cooked via, about 3 to five mins. (Watch out to not overcook!) With a slotted spoon, right away take away them to a big plate or huge bowl. Cut back the skillet warmth to medium.
-
Warmth 1 tablespoon butter over medium warmth. Upload the purple, orange, and inexperienced bell peppers. Prepare dinner 3 mins, then upload the mushrooms and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and the remainder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Sauté till the mushrooms are smooth and feature given off their liquid, about 5 further mins. Upload the tomatoes and cook dinner till maximum in their liquid has cooked off, about 3 mins.
-
Upload two-thirds of the fairway onions. With a big spoon, scoop up the greens into the plate or bowl with the shrimp.
-
In a big liquid measuring cup, whisk in combination the milk and cornstarch till properly blended.
-
Clutch a whisk and warmth the general 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Pour within the milk combination and whisk till clean. Upload the cream cheese in small items. (I in most cases tear and drop it proper in with my hands.) Whisk continuously and produce the mix to a gradual (however no longer violent) simmer, and cook dinner for two to three mins till the sauce is rather thickened, whisking the entire whilst so that you’ve a clean, creamy sauce. Stir within the ultimate 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
-
Go back the greens and shrimp to the skillet. If there are a large number of juices that experience amassed within the backside of the bowl, you’ll make a choice so as to add it if you wish to have a thinner sauce or overlook it if you happen to favor a thicker sauce. Drain the noodles and upload them to the skillet.
-
With a protracted pair of tongs, toss to totally mix and coat each and every bit with that yummy, creamy sauce. Style and alter salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to style. Sprinkle with final inexperienced onions. Serve sizzling.
- *For the speediest imaginable prep, acquire peeled and deveined shrimp. (Simple-peel and deveined would additionally paintings.) I purchase frozen and allow them to thaw in a single day within the fridge. Tails on or off is your desire.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate pasta in an hermetic garage container for as much as 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven at the stovetop over medium-low warmth or within the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze pasta in an hermetic, freezer-safe garage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge ahead of reheating.
Serving: 1of 6, about 2 cupsEnergy: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 21gFats: 11gSaturated Fats: 5gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 4gTrans Fats: 0.2gLdl cholesterol: 117mgPotassium: 582mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gDiet A: 2470IUDiet C: 52mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 3mg
Sign up for as of late and get started saving your favourite recipes
Create an account to simply save your favourite recipes and get entry to FREE meal plans.
Extra Shrimp Pasta Recipes
Endless chances. Listed here are extra techniques to revel in shrimp with pasta:
