Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 1 1/2 lbs pasta
- 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon paste (optional)
- 1 1/2 lbs shrimp
- 1 1/2 lbs smoked andouille sausage
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 7 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, diced
Make Pasta & Reserve Starchy Water
Get a large pot of water boiling, and add chicken bouillon paste (if using).
Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Before draining, save 1½ cups of water that the pasta was cooked in — it will help to bind the sauce together.
Once the pasta has been drained, set aside for now.
Season & Cook Shrimp
Sprinkle the shrimp with 1½ tsp of the cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Cook andouille sausage on both sides until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Take sausage out of pan and place in a bowl.
Now add the seasoned shrimp to the same skillet.
The shrimp will be ready in about 2-3 minutes when they turn pink and begin to curl.
The shrimp will absorb flavorful sausage fat into the flesh while cooking.
Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan and add them to the bowl with the sausage.
Build Aromatics & Sauce Base
In the same skillet that you cooked the shrimp and sausage in, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the leftover fat.
Cook the vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until they start to turn soft and brown.
You may need to add additional oil to the pan if it looks dry.
Once the vegetables have begun to brown, add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining cajun seasoning.
Allow this mixture to cook for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring constantly to develop a deeper colour for the paste and make it fragrant.
Deglaze & Create Cream Sauce
When the paste mixture has developed a deeper colour and flavour and you can smell the fragrances, pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes.
Be sure to scrape all of the brown bits from the pan — these are very important for adding flavour to your sauce.
Once all the ingredients have been added to the skillet, add the heavy cream and lower the heat to low.
Allow the sauce to simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes while stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Finish with Greens & Cheese
Stir in the spinach, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice.
The spinach should wilt very quickly into the sauce.
When you are finished cooking your sauce, add ¾ cup of reserved starchy water to the sauce to thin it down.
You can also add additional water to thin it out if you like.
Stir everything together until the sauce is fully mixed and looks creamy.
Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine & Serve
Once the sauce is combined, stir the cooked pasta into the sauce until coated well.
Finally, top with shrimp and sausage and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Enjoy hot!
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 1 1/2 lbs pasta
- 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon paste optional
- 1 1/2 lbs shrimp
- 1 1/2 lbs smoked andouille sausage
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 bell peppers chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 7 garlic cloves diced
- 1 can tomato paste 6 oz
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley diced
Instructions
- Boil water with chicken bouillon paste if using. Cook pasta until al dente, reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain.
- Season shrimp with 1 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Brown sausage 5-7 minutes, remove to bowl.
- Cook shrimp in same pan 2-3 minutes until pink and curled, add to bowl with sausage.
- Add onion, bell peppers, and celery to pan. Cook 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining cajun seasoning. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes, scraping up browned bits.
- Add heavy cream, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5-7 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in spinach, parmesan, and lemon juice until spinach wilts.
- Add 3/4 cup reserved pasta water and stir until creamy.
- Add pasta to sauce and toss to coat.
- Top with shrimp, sausage, and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
