Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Cream Cheese
Cajun-seasoned shrimp and fettuccine in a cream sauce built with cream cheese instead of a roux, so it thickens without any extra steps. Diced tomatoes cut the richness. About 30 minutes start to finish, and the heat level is yours to set.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 850kcal
Equipment
- 1 large pot for pasta
- 1 skillet or large pan
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz Fetuccine pasta
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 2 pcs shallots (small) finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning add more if needed
- ¾ cup tomatoes diced
- 1½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup cream cheese
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- ¼ cup pasta water reserved
- ¼ cup parsley leaves finely chopped
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Start the sauce while the pasta cooks so both finish together.
- Add the fettuccine and cook to al dente per package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.1 8 oz Fetuccine pasta
- While the pasta cooks, cut the cream cheese into cubes and set aside.⅓ cup cream cheese
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant. Do not let either brown.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons Butter, 2 pcs shallots (small), 4 cloves garlic
- Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp and season with half the Cajun seasoning. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pink and just opaque. Remove the shrimp and set aside.1 pound shrimp, 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced tomatoes and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and most of their liquid has cooked off.¾ cup tomatoes
- Pour in the heavy cream, then add the cream cheese, the remaining Cajun seasoning, and the black pepper. Whisk until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Keep it at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil.1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, 1½ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup cream cheese, 1 pinch black pepper, 1 pinch salt to taste
- Return the pasta and shrimp to the pan and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick.¼ cup pasta water
- Stir in the parsley and simmer 1 minute more. Taste and adjust salt and Cajun seasoning. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan.¼ cup parsley leaves, ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Notes
Cajun seasoning. Blends vary a lot in salt and heat. Half goes on the shrimp and half in the sauce, so hold back the second half, taste, then add from there.
Shrimp size. Large shrimp, around 21 to 25 per pound, hold up best. Smaller shrimp overcook in the time it takes to sear them. Pull them just as they turn pink, since they finish cooking when they go back into the sauce.
Frozen shrimp. Thaw in the refrigerator or under cold running water, then pat completely dry. Wet shrimp steams instead of searing.
Keeping the sauce smooth. Once the cream goes in, hold a gentle simmer. A hard boil separates it. If it does break, pull the pan off the heat, add a splash of pasta water, and whisk hard.
Tomatoes. Fresh cook down in a couple of minutes and taste cleaner. Canned works, drain it well first.
Storage. Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low with a splash of milk or cream, since the pasta absorbs sauce as it sits. Not recommended for freezing.
Add smoked sausage. Andouille or kielbasa, sliced into rounds. Brown it in the oil and butter before the shallots, set aside with the shrimp, add back at the end.
Nutrition
Calories: 850kcal
