Cajun Shrimp Pasta
This Cajun Shrimp Pasta is made with just six ingredients! Cajun-seasoned shrimp tossed with pasta and a super light butter-lemon sauce – it’s a little spicy, smoky, buttery, and so, so delicious.
If you’ve been following along, it’s no secret I’m a serious fan of pasta recipes, and today it’s all about this easy Cajun shrimp pasta.
- It’s a simple pasta recipe with just six ingredients.
- It has a “barely-there” Cajun lemon-butter sauce that’s nice and light – no heavy cream!
- Keeping everything simple really lets the Cajun spice shine, which is basically the star of this pasta dish.
- Last, but not least, it only takes 20 minutes to make! This one’s so easy, friends.
Ingredients
- Pasta: I like spaghetti but different types of pasta will work, too, like linguine, fettuccine, farfalle, penne, or other similar pasta shapes.
- Unsalted butter
- Shrimp: Use fresh or frozen shrimp. If using frozen, thaw them and pat them dry before cooking them.
- Cajun seasoning: This is a Southern-style (specifically Louisiana-style) seasoning mix that’s a little spicy, smoky, savory, and just all-around delicious.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon, please!
- Fresh parsley: For garnish, of course.
Note: You can easily add some veggies like chopped onions and bell peppers. Just sauté them in the butter before you add the shrimp!
How to Make It
- Boil the pasta and drain it.
- Season the shrimp and cook them in a large pan with melted butter.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine.
- Add the fresh lemon juice and parsley, toss again, and serve!
More Pasta Recipes with Few Ingredients
Easy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
This Cajun shrimp pasta is a quick 20-minute dinner and perfect for busy weeknights.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning see note
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Boil 8 ounces of pasta following package direction. Place the shrimp in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle 2 1/2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning over the top and toss the shrimp to coat them evenly. Set them aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the pan and cook them for about two minutes and then turn them and cook them for another two minutes. If your pasta is not done at this point, remove the shrimp from the pan so they don’t overcook. Turn the stove heat to low so the butter doesn't brown or burn.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the pan along with the shrimp. Add the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of parsley and toss it all together.
Notes
Depending on how much salt is in your Cajun seasoning mix you may want to add extra to the recipe. You can always add a few pinches right at the end if needed.
This pasta is best when it’s made, but leftovers will keep for two days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1486IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg
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More Recipes with Shrimp
Make this easy Cajun shrimp pasta recipe for dinner this week – you won’t regret it.
Happy cooking,
Post updated from the archives. First published in May 2020.
What brand of Cajun Spice do you use in this recipe?
I used Weber brand!
Very good and easy! I use Tony Cachere’s season which is way salty so I didn’t need extra salt. I just used this to alter my scampi into a Cajun style my husband prefers. Basically just added the Tony’s. Thank you!
So glad you like it!