How to make Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo:
- 1 pound raw large shrimp, shells removed and deveined (I used frozen, thawed the shrimp under running water and then pulled the tails off, a little cheat!)
- 3/4 of a 16oz. pkg. of fettuccine pasta, cooked al dente, drained
- 1 Tb. Cajun seasoning, more or less to taste (I used a lot!)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. lemon pepper
- 1 Tb. lemon juice
- 1 Tb. olive oil
- 4 Tb. butter, room temperature
- 1 Tb. minced garlic
- 1/3 cup white wine or chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- parsley to garnish, fresh is best, but dried is fine
- Place shrimp in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, lemon pepper, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning. Toss well to coat. cover and set aside.
- In a large skillet with high sides, heat the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the raw shrimp and cook until they turn pink, but don’t over cook! When the shrimp are done, remove from pan to a bowl/plate and cover with foil to keep warm. (If using the frozen shrimp, skip this step.)
- Add butter to the pan, once it melts, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the wine or broth and stir to deglaze the pan.
- Once the wine/broth reduces a little, pour in the cream and bring to a simmer while stirring.
- Add in the parmesan and the remaining Cajun seasoning (to your taste). Turn the heat down to low and allow the sauce to simmer 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will thicken the sauce. Careful that the parmesan doesn’t stick to the bottom of pan and burn.
- Taste the sauce and adjust to your liking.
- Add the shrimp back to the pan and the cooked fettuccine. Toss well to coat.
- Garnish with parsley and serve!
I like to serve mine with either a nice crusty bread or garlic bread to sop up all the yummy sauce! Enjoy!
*I used cooked spaghetti squash instead of pasta, and it turned out amazing! I also added sliced mushrooms. It’s delicious as it or you can play around with the ingredients.
How to cook spaghetti squash:
- * Cut the squash in half lengthwise
- * Scoop out the seeds (like a pumpkin, but leave the flesh)
- * Spray the inside with cooking spray
- * Sprinkle inside with salt, pepper and garlic powder
- * Place on a foil lined baking sheet, flesh side up
- * Bake at 350′ degrees for 30-35 minutes
- * Let cool enough to handle, then use a fork to scrape out the flesh, it looks like spaghetti! Try this instead of pasta!
