Blackened Shrimp Pasta

Blackened Shrimp Pasta ~ Cajun seasoned shrimp and linguine in a zesty, flavorful tomato sauce. A simple, weeknight meal elevated for entertaining too.

Between shopping, baking, wrapping, holiday parties and the actual holiday gatherings are meals we need to eat and prepare for our families and some out of town guests that *may* be staying a tad too long. That’s where Blackened Shrimp Pasta comes in. 

Most times, but especially this crazy, chaotic fun time of year, there are certain food items I keep in my pantry ~ cans of diced tomatoes and dry pasta are a couple of them. There are so many things you can make with them and when you’re hungry, tired and short on time you can work actual magic with them. A good dry Cajun spice doesn’t hurt the cause either.

In the freezer, I like to keep shrimp and from there, well ~ you can probably guess where I’m going with this.

You’ll find other Blackened Shrimp Pasta recipes on Pinterest so heads up ~ this is not a creamy version. No heavy cream was harmed in the making of this dish. I intentionally created this recipe lighter because lately  practically every dish I’ve indulged in contains heavy cream, enough butter to make it illegal and/or abundant amounts of cheese and there seems to be no stopping that train ’til the year, but we’ll get to that another day.

What this dish is not lacking is flavor ~ it packs a heavy punch ~ and because you’re making it yourself, you’re in control of the heat level. If you’re so inclined in the cheese department, you have my (totally unnecessary) permission to shower some parmesan cheese right down over the top and no one ~ absolutely no one ~ will judge you.

Blackened Shrimp Pasta Ingredients:

• olive oil
• butter
• 21-25 shrimp raw
• Cajun seasoning
• onion
• garlic
• mini bell peppers
• pasta water
• dry white wine 
• can of diced tomatoes
• smoked paprika
• Worcestershire sauce
• fresh flatleaf parsley
• linguine (or other pasta)
• lemon

Tip #1: If your Cajun seasoning doesn’t contain salt, the shrimp and sauce may require some. You can check for taste near the end. 

Rinse the shrimp, pat it dry with a paper towel and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning over the shrimp and gently toss to coat them well.

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet, drop in the shrimp and sauté just 1-2 minutes per side without overcooking them, then remove them from the skillet and reserve.

Tip #2: Don’t slice the peppers too thin or they’ll disappear in the sauce.

Reduce the heat slightly then add the onion, bell peppers and grated garlic to the same skillet. Season it with 1/4 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning and cook 2-4 minutes or until the onions have softened, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Meanwhile cook the pasta one minute less than package directions (the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce). Scoop out 1/4 cup of pasta water then drain the pasta.

Add the pasta water to the skillet along with the wine, (undrained) can of diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and the other tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes over medium-low heat letting the sauce thicken slightly. 

Taste the sauce and adjust for salt and heat (I added a light sprinkle of both salt and Cajun seasoning to my sauce). 

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat it and continue cooking the pasta in the sauce 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the skillet, fold in the parsley and serve right away with sliced lemon and a loaf of rustic bread. A squeeze of lemon over the top at the end adds a nice brightness to the flavors of the dish.

I love the versatility of shrimp ~ how it goes from quick weeknight to a simple, elevated entertaining dish. Looking for more shrimp recipes? Try Spicy New Orleans Style Shrimp as an appetizer or main dish or this 20 Minute Spanish Shrimp and Rice dish.

Enjoy!

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Blackened Shrimp Pasta

Blackened Shrimp Pasta ~ Cajun seasoned shrimp sauteed with peppers and onions in a bold tomato sauce, served with pasta.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun, seafood

Keyword: cajun shrimp and pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Author: A Gouda Life

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound 21-25 shrimp raw, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning + 1/4 teaspoon, divided
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 1 1/2 cups mini bell peppers sliced
• 1/3 cup pasta water
• 1/4 cup white wine dry/not sweet (chicken stock can be substituted)
• 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 8 ounces linguine
• Optional: sliced lemon for serving

Instructions

• Rinse the shrimp, pat it dry with a paper towel and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle one tablespoon of cajun seasoning over the shrimp and gently toss to coat.
• Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet then drop in the shrimp and saute 1-2 minutes per side without overcooking them then remove them from the skillet and reserve.
• Reduce the heat to low then add the onion, bell peppers and grated garlic to the same skillet. Season it with 1/4 teaspoon of the cajun seasoning and cook 2-4 minutes or until the onions have softened, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.
• Meanwhile cook the pasta one minute less than package directions. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Scoop out 1/4 cup of pasta water then drain the pasta.
• Add the pasta water to the skillet along with the wine, (undrained) can of diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and the other tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes over medium-low heat letting the sauce thicken slightly. 
• Taste the sauce and adjust for salt and heat (I added a light sprinkle of both salt and cajun seasoning.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat it and continue cooking the pasta in the sauce 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the skillet, fold in the parsley and serve right away with slices of lemon for squeezing over the top.