This Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is quick to put together you can make it as spicy as you like! Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras won’t know what hit ’em! This is so filing with shrimp, andouille, pasta, onions, peppers & mushrooms all smothered in a spicy creamy tomato sauce! It’s heavenly!
The beauty of making this creamy cajun pasta at home is that it has a spicy bite to it – but when you make it at home – you can add as much or as little Cajun seasoning as I like. And it’s relatively quick too – it only takes 10 minutes of prep work and 30 minutes of cooking time until it’s on the table!
Cajun Pasta Recipe Ingredients
This creamy cajun shrimp pasta dish with sausage also basically is a one-pot dish! You cook your pasta but then the rest of the meal goes together in one big skillet! The tomato cream sauce is similar to a light tomato alfredo sauce – it’s so good!
- Dry pasta – I used penne but you can use anything you like from macaroni to fettucini!
- Proteins: shrimp & andouille sausage
- Be sure to use RAW shrimp – I prefer peeled & deveined and I pop the tails off before cooking.
- You can also add chicken or another kind of sausage
- Fresh Veggies: yellow onions, red bell peppers, mushrooms, crushed tomatoes
- Main Seasoning: cajun or creole seasoning – I like Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning
- Sauce: Butter, milk (or heavy cream), chicken stock, Parmesan cheese
- Other items:
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Cornstarch
- Green onions
What Cajun seasoning should I use?
I used Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning. It’s available everywhere and has a good kick. They have a hot version – but I went for the regular and it was plenty! Here’s a great recipe for a homemade cajun seasoning if you’d like to take that route!
What’s the difference between cajun and creole seasoning?
Anymore – not much. Originally cajun seasoning blends were a simpler mix and it’s a bit spicier. Creole has more ingredients and a fuller flavor – but truthfully – there’s not much difference. Cajun has lots of cayenne pepper where the creole adds other herbs like oregano, onion powder and more.
How do you make Cajun shrimp sausage pasta?
This spicy shrimp & sausage pasta dish is quick to start and comes together in thirty minutes!
- PASTA: Start your pasta – cook according to package directions for al dente pasta. When done – drain & set aside.
- SAUTEED SHRIMP: While your pasta is cooking, in a bowl, toss shrimp with cajun seasoning and make sure it is well coated.
- Heat a large saute pan (or even a Dutch oven) over medium high heat and pour olive oil in pan.
- Add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes. Turn shrimp and cook another minute, or until pink.
- Remove shrimp from pan to a plate, set aside.
- SAUSAGE: Add the cut-up sausage to the same large skillet. Cook sausage until heated through, about 3 minutes each side. Add to plate with shrimp and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 3 tablespoons olive oil – still on medium-high heat. Keep all the browned bits in the bottom of pan and add onion, red pepper, mushrooms and cajun seasoning. Cook until the veggies are soft, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook and stir about 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, milk and butter. Bring to a simmer
- Add the corn starch and cajun seasoning and whisk immediately so corn starch doesn’t clump.
- While stirring, scrape the pan with tongs to get up any brown bits from the bottom. Simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Add in romano, cooked pasta, shrimp and sausage. Toss all ingredients together and continue simmering until heated through – about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve in big pasta bowls and top with green onions with crusty French bread
How do you store and reheat leftovers?
This creamy pasta recipes makes enough to serve 4-6 so you might have leftovers! Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to a week – or freeze up to three months. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Cajun & Mardi Gras Recipes
If you like this Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta – I’ve got other great New Orleans style recipes for you!
- My favorite is this Breakfast Gumbo! It’s a copycat from an Alabama gas station (yes!!) and it’s so good!
- You have to have King Cake & these are the best King Cake Bites!
- And you can always make your own Cajun/Creole seasoning!
Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups dry penne
- 1/2 lb raw shrimp peeled, deveined, tail removed
- 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz andouille sausage 2 links
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1/2 red pepper diced 1" chunks
- 4 oz mushrooms sliced
- 2 tbsp Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup parmesan or romano grated
- 2-3 green onions diced
Instructions
Pasta
- Add pasta to a large pot of boiling water that has been salted. Cook to package directions.1.5 cups dry penne
- Remove pasta from water and drain. Set aside.
Shrimp
- While your pasta is cooking, in a bowl, toss shrimp with cajun seasoning and make sure it is well coated.1/2 lb raw shrimp
- Heat a LARGE skillet over medium-high heat and pour olive oil in pan.2 tbsp olive oil
- Add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes. Turn shrimp and cook another minute, or until pink.
- Remove shrimp from pan to a plate, set aside.
Sausage
- Add the cut-up sausage to the same pan. Cook sausage until heated through, about 3 minutes each side. Add to plate with shrimp and set aside.4 oz andouille sausage
Assembly
- In the same pan, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and then the onion, red pepper, mushrooms and cajun seasoning. Cook until the veggies are soft, about 3-5 minutes.3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 yellow onion, 1/2 red pepper, 4 oz mushrooms, 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning
- Add minced garlic and cook and stir about 30 seconds.2 cloves garlic
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, milk and butter. Bring to a simmer.1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2/3 cup milk, 3 tbsp butter
- Add the corn starch and cajun seasoning and whisk immediately so corn starch doesn’t clump. While stirring, scrape the pan with tongs to get up any brown bits from the bottom. Simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce thickens.1 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning
- Add in romano, cooked pasta, shrimp and sausage. Toss all ingredients together and continue simmering until heated through – about 2-3 minutes.3/4 cup parmesan or romano
- Top with green onions2-3 green onions
Dawn says
I just want to start off by saying, I never leave reviews EVER, LOL. The picture caught my eye and it looked yummy in picture. All I can say is this recipe turned out amazing!! My whole picky family loved this even went back for seconds. Thank you very much for putting this recipe out here for us.
FoodHussy says
OMG _ thank you so much!!!! You had me worried for a sec – hahahaha – I’m so glad you loved it!!!