Cajun Shrimp Alfredo

Cajun Shrimp Alfredo is a foolproof recipe that you can have on the table in minutes. Each bite showcases andouille sausage, Cajun blackened shrimp, and pasta tossed in a healthy homemade Alfredo sauce. Yum!

If there’s one perfect creamy comfort food out there, it has to be fettuccine Alfredo. Tossing long pasta noodles in a creamy and well-seasoned sauce is everything you want in a cozy and easy weeknight meal… until now.

This Cajun Shrimp Alfredo is a step above the classic fettuccine alfredo recipe. It swaps the heavy cream-based sauce for my healthy alfredo sauce and packs in the flavor with Cajun-spiced shrimp and juicy andouille sausage in every bite. It’s like comfort food for spice lovers.

This may sound like a lot to put together, but the entire meal is ready to eat in less than 45 minutes. It’s the ultimate quick and comforting weeknight dinner the whole family will love!

Recipe features

• It’s a step above your other quick and easy weeknight meals.
• The minimal ingredients result in maximum flavor.
• You can enjoy Cajun alfredo pasta as-is or add in more veggies, meat, or flavor-boosters.

Ingredient notes:

• Pasta - I used fettuccine noodles but feel free to swap them for linguine, tagliatelle, pappardelle, or gluten free pasta.
  
• Andouille chicken sausage - Andouille sausage is made from chopped meat rather than ground and has a distinct smoky flavor. Chicken or pork andouille sausage is a classic choice in Cajun cuisine, especially sausage gumbo.
  
• Shrimp - Use large or extra-large fresh or frozen shrimp (peeled and deveined). You can leave the tail on or off - it’s up to you! Just be sure to let frozen shrimp thaw in the fridge before cooking.
  
• Cajun seasoning - This bold blend of rustic spices captures the smoky and spicy flavors that are true to the south. If you don’t have Cajun seasoning at home, you can use creole or blackened seasoning instead.
  
• Alfredo sauce - This creamy and comforting dish is made with my healthy alfredo sauce. It only takes 5 minutes to put together and tastes so much better than store-bought! 

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain the rest.

Step 2: Marinate the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a mesh strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over top and leave them to marinate for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Cook the andouille sausage. Sauté the sliced andouille sausage in an oiled skillet until golden brown. Transfer it to a bowl.

Step 4: Cook the shrimp and garlic. Add the marinated shrimp to the same skillet and cook. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Transfer the cooked shrimp and garlic to the bowl with the sausage. 

Step 5: Combine the pasta and sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir in the healthy alfredo sauce. Pour in some of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. 

Step 6: Toss together, then serve. Stir the shrimp and chicken sausage in with the alfredo pasta and gently toss everything together. Scoop into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• Be very gentle when tossing the shrimp and sausage with the alfredo pasta. This will keep the crisp coating of spices intact on the shrimp.
• Intensify the heat and Cajun flavors with extra cayenne or Louisiana hot sauce.
• I recommend marinating the shrimp for at least 10 minutes, but you can season and marinate them in the fridge overnight.
• If you don’t want to pan-fry the shrimp, I recommend making my just-as-crispy air fryer shrimp instead.

How can I make my own Cajun seasoning?

Making your own Cajun seasoning at home is easy! All you need are common spices, like paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, pepper, and oregano.

What else can you add to this?

Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta is truly perfect just the way it is, but you can easily make a few adjustments to fit your taste buds:

• Add veggies - Like sliced bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and peas.
• Switch up the sausage - In a pinch, you can use kielbasa, German bratwurst, or chorizo links instead of andouille.
• Load up on seafood - Make Cajun seafood pasta with extra blackened shrimp and add-ins like Cajun salmon, crab meat, scallops, or squid. 
• Instead of shrimp - Feel free to make this with blackened chicken or steak. 

What goes with shrimp alfredo pasta?

This dish is super filling, so you won’t need too many side dishes. If you’re serving a crowd, make the meal complete with crusty Italian bread, soft breadsticks, mixed greens, or a caesar salad on the side.

Storing

If you plan on storing the leftovers, keep the sauce and noodles separate from the shrimp. The crisped seasoning is more likely to fall off the shrimp if all three are stored together.

Refrigerator: After cooling, store the leftover pasta in an airtight glass container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.

More creamy pasta dinners

• Italian Chicken Sausage Pasta
• Skinny Shrimp Alfredo Bake
• Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!