This Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that packs a punch with bold and spicy Cajun seasoning, succulent shrimp, and spicy andouille sausage in a creamy sauce. Whether you're looking for a cozy family dinner or the perfect recipe for a Mardi Gras celebration, this recipe is sure to be loved by all.
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This protein packed pasta recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight, and will be loved by the whole family! The combination of shrimp and cajun sausage with plenty of seasoning and creamy sauce makes for a truly decadent bite.
Looking for more Cajun food recipes? You may also enjoy this Cajun chicken alfredo, this Cajun seafood boil recipe, this Cajun shrimp sausage and peppers, this New Orleans BBQ Shrimp, or this crawfish dip.
If you're craving more hearty pasta recipes, we'd suggest this creamy salmon pasta, this chicken and shrimp carbonara, this lobster pasta, or this spicy shrimp pasta.
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Bold and spicy flavors. The Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes add just the right amount of kick to the dish, perfect for those who enjoy a little bit of spice in their food.
- Quick and easy to make. This recipe is easy to make. Dinner will be ready in under an hour, all in one pan!
- Made with simple ingredients. Anything you don't already have on hand can be found at nearly any local grocery store.
- Perfect for any occasion. Whether you're cooking for your family or hosting a dinner party for Mardi Gras, this dish is sure to impress your guests and delight their taste buds.
- Versatile. You can customize the recipe to your liking by using different types of pasta or adding more vegetables to the dish.
- Comforting and filling. Looking for something filling and satisfying? This dish packs so much flavor and is the ultimate comfort food.
- Can be customized to suit different diet types. This recipe can be made gluten-free and keto-friendly if desired. We'll share more ideas on how to make substitutions below.
🦐Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Large shrimp - Raw shrimp. Look for very plump shrimp. They will need to be peeled and deveined. The tails can be left on or off.
- Smoked sausage - You can use any smoked sausage, but we prefer to use andouille sausage with a little kick.
- Olive oil & unsalted butter
- Kosher salt
- Cajun seasoning - Homemade cajun seasoning or store-bought. We like to make our own blend (details below) so that we have more control over the salt content in the dish, as many brands of store-bought cajun seasoning blends have lots of added sodium.
- Red pepper flakes - Optional and to taste. Adjust according to your heat level preference.
- Pasta of choice - We chose bow tie pasta, also known as farfalle. You can use whatever you want. Linguine, penne pasta, and fettuccine pasta are also very popular choices.
- Reserved pasta water - To help the sauce come together. Make sure to set some aside before draining the pasta.
- Bell peppers - We used green bell peppers, but red bell peppers would also be perfect.
- Yellow onion
- Tomato paste
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme & parsley
- Chicken stock - Or broth.
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese - Freshly grated. This is important. Pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt properly, so you will need to shred the cheese yourself in order for it to melt into the sauce.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Protein additions. Add chicken, or more seafood options like scallops to this recipe for more protein. You may also enjoy this Cajun salmon pasta recipe.
- Pescatarian. Use a meatless smoked sausage alternative, or omit the sausage entirely.
- Gluten free. Use your favorite gluten free pasta. Everything else in this dish is naturally gluten free. You will want to make sure the cajun seasoning you use doesn't have any gluten added in.
- Keto friendly. Use your favorite keto friendly pasta, or a pasta substitute like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Vegetable additions. Add more vegetables to the dish to make it even healthier and more colorful. You can add more bell peppers, jalapeños, zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach to the recipe.
- Spice level. Adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes based on your spice preference. If you prefer a milder flavor, use less seasoning. If you like hotter food, add more, or even a bit of cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- Cream sauce. Instead of a tomato-based cream sauce, you can omit the tomato paste to make a creamy white sauce.
- Thicker sauce. For a thicker sauce, add some room temperature cream cheese.
🔪Prep work
- Mince garlic.
- Dice onion.
- Thinly slice the bell peppers.
- Peel and devein shrimp.
- Cut sausage into ¼-inch wide slices.
- Grate parmesan cheese.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt it heavily. You want about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt per pound of pasta.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes under the package instructions. Make sure to reserve about 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Do not rinse the pasta, simply set aside. If desired, you can add a little bit of olive oil to the cooked pasta and give it a quick toss to prevent it from sticking together.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Measure out all remaining ingredients.
📋Instructions
Season the shrimp with plenty of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and cajun seasoning, reserving some for later.
Add most of the olive oil to the skillet, and increase the heat to medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for about 60-90 seconds per side until cooked through. If necessary, sear the shrimp in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once cooked, remove from the skillet and set aside. (Image 1)
To the same skillet, add a splash of chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add a little more olive oil, followed by the sausage rounds in a single layer. Sear for about 60-90 seconds per side until browned and crispy. Remove from the skillet. (Image 2)
To the same skillet, add the butter and melt, followed by the fresh thyme and garlic, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant. (Image 3)
Immediately add the onion and bell peppers with a pinch of salt to cool down the garlic. (Image 4)
Sauté the bell peppers and onions for 3-4 minutes until softened, then, add in the tomato paste. (Image 5)
Cook until the color of the tomato paste has deepened, about 2-3 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the rest of the chicken stock. (Image 6)
Reduce the heat to low, then pour in the heavy cream and stir. (Image 7)
Add the remaining seasonings to taste, and allow the sauce to gently simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. DO NOT let the cream boil. (Image 8)
Add the cooked pasta and freshly grated parmesan cheese. (Image 9)
Slowly stream in the pasta water and toss to help the sauce stick to the noodles, and until the texture of the sauce is to your liking. (Image 10)
Add the cooked shrimp and sausage back to the skillet. (Image 11)
Toss again to combine. (Image 12)
Garnish with fresh parsley, and more parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Serve with a simple green salad like this arugula spinach salad, a side of garlic bread, or a crusty baguette.
✨Tips & tricks
- Don't overcook the pasta. Make sure to cook the pasta until it's just al dente (cooked but still firm to the bite) to prevent it from becoming mushy when it gets added to the sauce.
- Pat the shrimp dry. Make sure to pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel before cooking to prevent excess water from getting into the pan.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. When cooking the shrimp, cook in batches so you can get a nice sear.
- Don't overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Cook until it turns pink and opaque, which should only take about 2 minutes.
- Don't allow the sauce to boil once the heavy cream is added, or the cream will curdle.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, by adding a splash of pasta water over medium-low heat until warmed through.
If possible, store the noodles separately from the proteins and the sauce, as the noodles will continue to absorb the sauce, making them mushy.
We don't recommend freezing this recipe.
The following makes a very large batch, and we only use 1 - 2 tablespoons and reserve the rest for other recipes. DO NOT use the whole batch of the spice mix in this recipe!
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional, and not a traditional ingredient)
The Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes add some heat to the dish, but we wouldn't consider this recipe to be super spicy. The level of heat can be adjusted to your liking by adding more or less seasoning, or red pepper flakes.
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📖 Recipe
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2-3 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided (to taste, try to use one with no added salt if possible)
- 1.5-2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (to taste, add slowly, and add less if using a cajun seasoning blend with added salt!)
- ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided (optional and to taste)
- 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into ¼-inch thick rounds (could use any smoked sausage)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (optional)
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken stock (or broth)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces grated parmesan cheese (about 1 cup, or more, to taste)
- 1 pound cooked farfalle (or any pasta of choice, like linguine, fettuccine, or penne)
- 1-2 cups reserved pasta water (to thin the sauce and reheat leftovers)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt it heavily. You want about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt per pound of pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes under the package instructions. Make sure to reserve about 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Do not rinse the pasta, simply set it aside. If desired, you can add a little bit of olive oil to the cooked pasta and give it a quick toss to prevent it from sticking together.
- Season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning, reserving some for later. Add most of the olive oil to the skillet, and increase the heat to medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for about 60-90 seconds per side until cooked through. If necessary, sear the shrimp in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once cooked, remove from the skillet and set aside.
- To the same skillet, add a splash of chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add a little more olive oil, followed by the sausage rounds in a single layer. Sear for about 60-90 seconds per side until browned and crispy. Remove from the skillet.
- To the same skillet, add the butter and melt, followed by the fresh thyme and garlic, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant. Immediately add the onion and bell peppers with a pinch of salt to cool down the garlic.
- Sauté the bell peppers and onions for 3-4 minutes until softened, then, add in the tomato paste. Cook until the color of the tomato paste has deepened, about 2-3 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the rest of the chicken stock.
- Reduce the heat to low, then pour in the heavy cream and stir. Add the remaining seasonings to taste, and allow the sauce to gently simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Add the cooked pasta and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Slowly stream in the pasta water and toss to help the sauce stick to the noodles, and until the texture of the sauce is to your liking. Add the cooked shrimp and sausage back to the skillet, then toss again to combine.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, and more parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, by adding a splash of pasta water over medium-low heat until warmed through. If possible, store the noodles separately from the proteins and the sauce, as the noodles will continue to absorb the sauce, making them mushy. Do not freeze.
Save This Recipe! 💌
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Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta. Make sure to cook the pasta until it's just al dente (cooked but still firm to the bite) to prevent it from becoming mushy when it gets added to the sauce.
- Pat the shrimp dry. Make sure to pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel before cooking to prevent excess water from getting into the pan.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. When cooking the shrimp, cook in batches so you can get a nice sear.
- Don't overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Cook until it turns pink and opaque, which should only take about 2 minutes.
- Don't allow the sauce to boil once the heavy cream is added, or the cream will curdle.
- Season to taste! Start out slow with the seasonings, and then add more if desired to increase the heat level.
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