Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Name: Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. paprika; 2 Tbsp. kosher salt; 2 Tbsp. granulated garlic; 1 Tbsp. granulated onion; 1 Tbsp. black pepper; ¼ tsp. white pepper; 1 tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 Tbsp. dried thyme; 1 Tbsp. dried oregano; 1 lb. homemade or store-bought pasta dough; Kosher salt to taste; 1 lb. (21–25) shrimp; 2 Tbsp. Creole Rub; 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 medium onion, small-diced; 1 red bell pepper, small-diced; 1 green bell pepper, small-diced; 2 Tbsp. chopped garlic; Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon; 1 (14-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained; 1 cup heavy cream; ½ cup chicken stock or shellfish stock; Kosher salt and black pepper to taste; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 cup grated pecorino cheese; 1 bunch scallions, sliced; 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

By Ryan Rondeno

June 26, 2025

A plate of Cajun shrimp pasta on a blue background

Photo by Ginger and Carrot Productions

Mangia! Put aside traditional spaghetti and meatballs for a night and try this! It is an easy dish for a weeknight dinner when you’re busy, and you’ll enjoy its simple flavors. This Cajun-Creole shrimp is combined with a light cream sauce, and the mingled flavors are off-the-charts delicious. It is full of flavor without being too spicy.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

16 Standout Cookbooks for Summer 2025
Here are the titles we’re keeping cracked in our own kitchens—recipes included.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Spaghetti)

Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.

Pasta Alla Mezcal

This marinara sauce is great tossed with any pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will leave you thinking, “Why didn’t anyone try this sooner?”

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Green Curry Mussels

The mussels here add their beautiful, briny juices into the curry, which turn this into a stunning and spectacular dish.

Spaghetti With Poblano Chile Sauce

Mexican pasta probably isn’t something you’ve thought about before, but this poblano sauce may have you rethinking your devotion to the red variety.

Oven-Fried Shrimp

Kewpie Mayonnaise is the ultimate secret ingredient to creating a perfect oven-baked battered-and-fried crunch without a deep fryer.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Halloumi Lasagna

In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.

Recipe notes

16 Standout Cookbooks for Summer 2025