Name: Crispy Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 8 oz fettuccine; 1 lb large shrimp (deshelled and deveined); 1 tbsp cajun seasoning; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium); 1 cup heavy cream; salt and pepper to taste; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated); 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Crispy Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine with an incredibly simple creamy sauce and crispy cajun shrimp with a little hit of heat. This can all be on your dinner table in 20 minutes tops!

tongs holding fettuccine above a skillet full of shrimp and pasta

This recipe is really all I could think about today, it was a long work day and as the hours dragged on I began to crave something creamy, dreamy, carby, and filled with flavorful plump shrimp. Pretty specific craving huh? Luckily I had this one stored in the old brain bank and decided to take it out for a test drive.

And I’m so glad I did because this dish was stellar. Packed full of perfect cajun seasoning, which is simultaneously spicy, sweet, smokey, and complex. The perfectly cooked shrimp is crispy and plump, all swimming in a rich creamy sauce served up on twirl-able and slurp-able fettuccine.

What Does Cajun Mean

When we’re talking about food, Cajun is usually referring to a spice blend which originated from Acadians living in Louisiana. Dry Cajun spice blend is made of paprika, cayenne pepper, herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

That’s where this beautiful spice comes into play, it will not only help form a beautiful crust on the shrimp, but it will also flavor our sauce. If you’ve never cooked with this spice, or at least never created a pasta dish using it, then I’m happy to introduce you to your new favorite meal. Perfect for a chilly night or any where you’d rather just curl up with a big bowl on the couch.

overhead of a plate of shrimp and fettuccine with a fork

Ingredients

Pasta – Fettuccine is what I chose to use today, but feel free to use any kind or shape you happen to have lying around.
Shrimp – Large, deveined and deshelled.
Seasoning – Cajun seasoning, you can pick it up at your local grocery store and is the flavor key for our entire dish.
Flour – We’re just using all purpose today to thicken up our sauce.
Butter and olive oil – To brown our shrimp in, it’s important to use both to achieve a brown butter flavor without burning it.
Liquids – We’re using both low sodium chicken broth and heavy cream. You can substitute a lighter cream if you’d like to cut the fat.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish – Fresh ground Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

How To Make Crispy Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine

Cook the pasta: Cook fettuccine according to package instructions.
Prepare the shrimp: Sprinkle the shrimp with 1 tbsp of cajun spice and toss well. Drizzle the flour over the shrimp and toss in a bowl to make sure each shrimp is covered in flour.
Cook the shrimp: In a deep skillet add the butter and olive oil and heat over high heat. Add shrimp and cook on each side about 2 min until crisp. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
Form the sauce: In the same skillet add chicken broth and heavy cream. Season with additional cajun spice if preferred and/or salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then add the Parmesan cheese and whisk. Add fettuccine and shrimp back to the pot and toss.
Finish the dish: Garnish with parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

Choose The Right Cajun Seasoning

Try to buy a Cajun seasoning with no salt to avoid making this recipe to salty. If your seasoning does have salt then just add salt to taste, be sure to taste test regularly. To make your own Cajun seasoning use my recipe here.

How To Prep Your Shrimp

You’ll want to start at the small legs on the shrimp. Simply pull those off and the rest of the shell should start to release. Pull off the rest of the shell. To remove the vein along the top simply cut a slit with a small knife down the middle of the shrimp’s back before removing the black vein with the tip of your knife.

Can I Use Other Proteins?

You sure can! I like to add cubed up chicken breast to either pair alongside the shrimp or to replace it all together. If you’re really getting into the Creole spirit, feel free to add some spicy sliced up sausage to the dish.

overhead of a skillet filled with fettuccine and shrimp, topped with parmesan and parsley

Can This Shrimp Pasta Be Made In Advance?

You can absolutely make this cajun shrimp pasta in advance and as a matter of fact, the longer this sits, the better it will taste because the flavors will develop even better. However, do keep in mind that this pasta won’t be as creamy anymore as when you first make it because the fettuccine will absorb all the sauce.

If planning to make this ahead, another option would be to just make the sauce, and when ready to serve, cook the pasta and heat the sauce together with the pasta. This way it will taste fresh and it will still be super creamy and delicious.

Leftovers

Store this cajun shrimp pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last 4-5 days, which makes it perfect for your weekly meal-prep!

Freezing

In an airtight container, this pasta will last 3-6 months in your freezer. I would freeze this in individual servings so that it will be easier to thaw. You can thaw this in the microwave, or covered in the oven at 350 F until the pasta is heated through. If you reheat in the oven, the pasta will absorb some of the sauce. Keeping it covered will help it from getting dry.

Crispy Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine