My very favorite types of meals to make for you are the ones that taste like you ordered them at a restaurant, but they come together in 30 minutes. This delicious recipe, based off of my Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta, is one you are sure to love.
Using Frozen Shrimp
I love keeping frozen shrimp on hand. It is great in so many recipes and makes this a meal you can make last minute. If you are lucky and live near the sea, you can absolutely use fresh shrimp in this recipe. For frozen, follow the package instructions for thawing the shrimp or thaw it in your refrigerator overnight.
Make sure you use enough water. There should be ample room for the pasta to cook and expand.Bring the pasta to a roaring boil. You want to see big giant bubbles before you add the dry pasta.Add salt to the water. I like adding about one teaspoon of kosher salt for every pound of pasta that I’m boiling.Set a timer. There is nothing worse than overcooked pasta. I like to set a timer so that my pasta is perfectly al dente – cooked but with a little bite still left to it.
How to Make a Roux
The thing that makes this dish creamy is the roux. A roux is the combination of a fat, such as butter here, and flour. The fat coats the flour, and helps keep it suspended in the sauce, preventing the sauce from separating. The trick is to add the liquid to the roux slowly. I like adding just a few tablespoons at a time in the beginning. I wait to add more until what I have just added is absorbed. In my cajun seasoning post, I go into detail on why I use each spice and how you can control the flavor of it by making your own. That said, don’t skip making this because you don’t have time to throw together the seasoning. You can use store-bought seasoning and still love this!
Half and Half
The backbone of the sauce is half and half. In the UK, this is known as half cream. It is essentially half heavy cream and half whole milk. In fact, if you can’t find it, you can combine those two to replace it.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers of this recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. My husband and I actually love cold leftovers of this almost more than the original. If you’d like your leftovers warmed up, add them to a skillet with a little cream over low heat, stirring often until everything is warmed through.
What to Serve with Cajun Shrimp Pasta
This is a great filling dish, but if you are looking to squeeze in some vegetables, here are a few ideas:
My kids always love Parmesan Roasted Broccoli!This Chopped Salad is so easy and would go great with this dinner.Garlic Bread goes amazing with this recipe.
If you make this Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta or any of my other recipes leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
