Cajun Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta
This family favorite cajun fettuccine pasta is creamy, spicy, and beautiful. You’ll love how quickly it comes together, ready in about 30 minutes in just one pan. One of the best pasta dinner recipes for a busy night.
Cajun Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- ½ pound fettucine pasta
Cajun Seasoning
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne papper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Meat and Veggies
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 1 red pepper (cut into thin strips)
- 1 green pepper (cut into thin strips)
- 1 orange pepper (cut into thin strips)
- 1 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 8 ounces andouille sausage (sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds)
Alfredo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix seasoning. Mix the salt, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, tossing with a little oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook veggies. Heat a large cast iron skillet or other heavy-duty pan over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the prepared Cajun seasoning. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Transfer the vegetables to a clean plate and set aside.
- Cook meats. In the same skillet, increase heat to medium-high. Add the sliced andouille sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned and slightly crispy on the edges. Stir occasionally to make sure an even browning. Then, add the shrimp and another tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and cooked. Remove the shrimp and sausage to the plate with the veggies.
- Make sauce. Reduce heat to low and add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine with the pan drippings. Add the lemon zest and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if necessary.
- Add pasta and garnish. Return the cooked sausage, shrimp, and veggies to the skillet with the sauce. Stir to combine and reheat for about 1 minute. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything together to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and additional Cajun seasoning if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips:
- Let the meat brown. Don’t stir the shrimp and sausage as they brown. Just let them be!
- Tweak. The sauce is spicy as written, but you can reduce or leave out the cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt well and can make your sauce grainy. Fresh is the way to go.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Fettuccine should be al dente. The pasta cooks more in the sauce, so keep an eye on it. I usually take it out one minute before the package’s directions say to.
- Watch the garlic. Cook it just until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Burnt garlic = bitter sauce.
- Add the cheese gradually. Dumping it all in at once can make the sauce clumpy. Stir constantly for a smooth, creamy finish.
- Adjust the thickness. Too thick? Add a splash of pasta water. Too thin? Let it simmer for a minute.
- Serve immediately. Alfredo thickens as it sits. If it gets too thick, stir in a little warm cream or pasta water to fix it.
What You’ll Need for Cajun Pasta
Fettuccine Pasta: Use spaghetti or linguine instead of fettuccine are both fine! Penne is good too.
Andouille Sausage: Chorizo or smoked sausage are great substitutes for a similar spicy and smoky flavor.
Heavy Cream: You can use half and half, but I strongly prefer heavy cream.
Parmesan Cheese: Grated Asiago or Romano cheese can be used instead of Parmesan cheese.
Shrimp: If you’re not a fan of shrimp or have seafood allergies, you can substitute it with chicken breast cut into small pieces.
Cooking Oil: Vegetable oil handles high heat well but olive oil is a good substitute.
Spices. If you have a homemade Cajun seasoning (or store bought blend!), you can switch that out with no problem.
This is rich, creamy, and just the right amount of spicy. It’s comforting but never boring. Hope you love it.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.