Spicy Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
One thing about my family - we LOVE some pasta. Growing up, we were always on the go and needed something quick, so my mom would always make this amazing and simple tortellini with pesto, and my dad still to this day is well known for his secret spaghetti recipe. So to me, pasta is my comfort food.
All throughout college, I searched for recipes that were both quick and easy to make. I fell into that endless circle of boxed macaroni and cheese that obviously in no way compared to my family’s baked macaroni and cheese recipe (coming soon!), but I found my way. I always longed for something quick yet had a bit of an edge. I am a self-proclaimed foodie after all!
Due to the pandemic and having graduated from college, I had time to try out some new and old recipes and find ways to spruce them up. Turns out, I spent all of my time in college running around that I never really devoted much time to trying out and coming up with new recipes. Who would have thought?
About a month ago, my sister and I were craving some sort of cheesy alfredo pasta with a bit of spice. On this same day, I also craved shrimp. My first thought was to make shrimp scampi, but I wanted something a bit more hearty and cheesy. I thought about making fettuccine alfredo and as I took a look inside my spice cabinet, I saw my “Slap Yo’ Mama” cajun seasoning that my mom bought in New Orleans (Yes, there’s a story for that one.), and then it hit me!
Spicy. Cajun. Shrimp. Alfredo.
It was perfect and super easy! I ran to the store to grab some fresh shrimp and the rest was history. So creamy, cheesy, spicy, and full of flavor. I cannot believe it took me this long to add this recipe to my arsenal, but now, It’s my new go-to for a quick weekend “treat yourself” meal. It truly feeds both the body and the soul.
Want to see how I made it? Check out the details below.
Spicy Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients:
8 oz cavatappi pasta
1lb fresh medium-sized shrimp, deveined
1pt heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 small yellow onion diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
½ cup of salted butter
1 tablespoon of “Slap yo’ Mama” cajun seasoning (or cayenne pepper)
½ tablespoon of garlic powder
½ tablespoon of onion powder
½ cup of chopped parsley
Seasoned salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
First, take your cleaned shrimp and coat in the seasoning blend.
After the shrimp is covered in the seasoning, warm half of the butter in a pan on medium to high heat.
Once the butter is melted, add the shrimp and flip each one after a minute or so.
Once the shrimp are finished cooking, remove them from the pan
In this same pan (this is the key!) add the rest of the butter, the diced onion, and minced garlic on medium to high heat.
Reduce the heat to low to medium heat, add in the pint of heavy cream, and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Be careful to NOT boil the sauce - it should only simmer.
Turn down the heat to low and slowly stir in the grated parmesan.
Add your cooked pasta in thirds and toss in between.
Add your shrimp, mix, and top with chopped parsley to finish!
& Voila! You’ve got a warm pot of Spicy Cajun Shrimp Alfredo!
I hope you all enjoy and I’ll be back with more recipes next month.
