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Everyone will love this Cajun-style shrimp pasta recipe. Rich, filling, and full of flavor. This shrimp pasta is the perfect meal to serve over dinner any day of the week. It is so easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes.
This easy to make cajun shrimp pasta recipe is going to be a huge hit and everyone would want to go for seconds. Simple, flavorful, and the perfect pasta dish to serve over dinner any day of the week. Made with raw shrimp, whole wheat pasta, and tossed in with a cajun style tomato and parmesan cheese base sauce thats to die for. Serve this cajun shrimp pasta over dinner or meal prep for lunch for a few days. This meal is versatile and can easily be made with chicken instead of shrimp.
Why you will love this pasta recipe
- Simple and easy: This meal is so simple and easy to make. It can be ready in just 30 minutes between cooking the pasta, the shrimp, and tossing them all together.
- Tasty and delicious: you will love how this cajun shrimp pasta will taste like. So flavorful and just so good it will be hard to stop at one serving.
- Healthy: To make this even healthier, you may use lentil pasta, or swap the pasta all together with zucchini noodle. Made with fresh and clean ingredients.
Ingredients you will need to make this shrimp pasta
For the Shrimp:
1 b raw shrimp
cajun seasoning
olive oil
Pasta:
gluten-free, whole wheat penne pasta, or any other pasta of choice.
olive oil
garlic cloves
red onion
bell peppers
cajun seasoning
chili powder
one can of crushed tomatoes
one lime
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese
fresh parsley
how to make cajun shrimp pasta from scratch
- Cook the pasta: Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Season and cook the shrimp: Meanwhile, place the shrimp into a Ziploc bag and add in the Cajun seasoning and oil. Stir through the bag to completely coat the shrimp with the spices. Heat a large rimmed pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: To the same pan add 1 tbsp of oil and saute the garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the onion, bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until veggies soften. Stir in the cajun seasoning plus chili powder, and cook for 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, juice, and lime zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to mild.
- Add shrimp and pasta: Stir in the cooked pasta, shrimp, and top with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Recipe notes and tips
- Use any pasta of choice. For a healthier option, use lentil or chickpea pasta.
- You may use fresh tomatoes, or make your own crushed tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
- Shrimp: use raw shrimp if you can use cooked shrimp. If you don’t like shrimp, use a different protein like chicken breast.
- Cook the pasta to al dente since it will be cooking again along with the shrimp and sauce. Do not overcook the pasta.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
frequently asked questions
It is best to sauté or pan fry the shrimp first with a little bit of oil and seasoning. Then set on the side covered on a plate until you cook the pasta and sauce.
Shrimp and pasta is very versatile when it comes to what flavors you want to use. You can do Italian-style or go for Mexican flavor like cajun. Add the shrimp into a bowl with whatever seasonings you would like to use. Mix it well together and cook in a pan over medium heat.
Place your leftover shrimp pasta in a tightly sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can freeze any leftover cajun shrimp pasta in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and placed in the fridge the night before to defrost. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat.
Other pasta recipes to try
- Chicken Spinach Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Baked Feta Pasta with Shrimp
- Easy Cheeseburger Pasta
- Creamy Salmon Pasta
- Southwest Pasta Salad
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Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 lb medium raw shrimp, shelled & deveined
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tsp olive oil
Pasta:
- 8 oz gluten free penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp chili powder, or to taste
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes, one can
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the shrimp into a ziploc bag and add in the cajuns seasoning and oil. Stir through the bag to completely coat the shrimp with the spices.
- Heat a large rimmed pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-4 minutes. Set aside.
- To the same pan add 1 tbsp of oil and saute the garlic for 1 minute.
- Stir in the onion, bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until veggies soften.
- Stir in the cajun seasoning plus chili powder, and cook for 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, juice and lime zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to mild.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and the shrimp, and top with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Use any pasta of choice. For a healthier option, use lentil or chickpea pasta.
- You may use fresh tomatoes, or make your own crushed tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
- Shrimp: use raw shrimp if you can use cooked shrimp. If you don’t like shrimp, use a different protein like chicken breast.
- Cook the pasta to al dente since it will be cooking again along with the shrimp and sauce. Do not overcook the pasta.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was delicious, my wife and our dinner guest loved it and both are finicky eaters. Will be making it again !
Thanks Brian. Glad she loved it.