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Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage

Julia
Enjoy a tasty Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta! This dish features juicy shrimp in a creamy, spicy sauce over pasta. It's easy to make and full of flavor, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinate 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 487 kcal

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INGREDIENTS
  

  • 10 oz shrimp , fresh or frozen, see notes
  • 14 oz Italian sausage or breakfast sausage, raw or smoked, I used 2 large
  • 2 + ½ cup uncooked pasta, I used larger fusilli
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 large onion, diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed or minced garlic cloves
  • 1 very large red or green bell pepper, sliced medium thick
  • 1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes , or diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Italian herbs and spices blend
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 + ¼ cup vegetable, beef, or chicken broth
  • 3-4 fresh thyme stalks
  • 4 heaping tablespoons of cream cheese, for a touch of creamy texture but you can add a whole 8 oz pack here too for extra creamy flavor, Note: the pasta will become less spicy!

For Serving

  • grated Parmesan cheese
  • red pepper flakes
  • fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Season the shrimp with half Italian seasoning and half cajun. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and mix. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
  • In a large skillet or cast-iron skillet add a little cooking oil over medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned shrimp for just a couple of minutes until it is no longer gray. This will happen very fast. Set aside.
  • In the same skillet, saute onion and bell peppers until they start to soften but not completely. Add in garlic and saute for 30 seconds more. Season with leftover Italian herbs and cajun. Don’t add salt or pepper just yet.
  • Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins into the same skillet and cook for a couple of minutes until browned.
  • Add the dry pasta, crushed tomatoes, broth, and thyme stalks. Close the lid and simmer on medium for 13-15 minutes until the pasta is cooked. If using gluten-free pasta, depending on the brand, you may need to cook it a bit longer until it's soft but not too soft as the pasta continues to cook in the sauce even more.
  • Return the cooked shrimp, add cream cheese and mix all until combined. If needed, add more broth to ''thin'' the sauce.
  • Serve with freshly grated parmesan, red pepper flakes (optional), or other fresh herbs (thyme or rosemary). We also like to squeeze fresh lemon juice for serving.

NOTES

  • Shrimp: Cook shrimp for just 1 minute per side to keep it juicy; thaw frozen shrimp first if using medium size (40/60).
  • Sausage: Use smoked sausage in this Cajun recipe, either removed from casings or sliced, but avoid overly spicy varieties.
  • Flavor: Season with Cajun and Italian sausage; avoid adding too much salt and pepper since the sausage is already flavorful.
  • Pasta: Don’t overcook pasta in the sauce; it should be al dente to prevent it from becoming mushy and absorbing too much liquid.
 

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NUTRITION

Calories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 30gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 974mgPotassium: 569mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1620IUVitamin C: 44mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 3mg
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