This creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is so easy to make and full of flavor! All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this hearty pasta dish that I know you will love!

Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta

We are big fans of creamy delicious pasta dishes in this house. There’s something so hearty and comforting about a cozy bowl of pasta. This Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is relatively easy to make, packed with flavor, and wonderful weeknight dinner option.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

The combination of shrimp, cajun sausage, and creamy flavorful pasta sauce is a match made in heaven. This recipe is easy to customize and you can easily make a dairy free version if you prefer.

Everyone will love this simple and delicious recipe. Keep reading to learn how to make it!

Pasta Ingredients

Pasta: penne pasta is my pasta of choice for this recipe but feel free to use your favorite!

Shrimp: I like to keep things easy and grab peeled and deveined shrimp from my local store.

Andouille sausage: along with the cajun seasoning, this gives the pasta that delicious cajun flavor.

Veggies & Herbs: a combination of yellow onion, bell peppers, garlic, and fresh thyme are all you need.

Coconut milk: to keep this pasta nice and creamy we’re using full fat coconut milk. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste a coconut flavor.

Chicken broth: go with low-sodium chicken broth so that you can better control the salt content in the dish.

Arrowroot starch: this helps to thicken the sauce a bit, without flour, so that it perfectly coats each piece of pasta.

Lemon juice: adds a little brightness to the creamy sauce for the perfect balance of flavor.

Spices: we’re using a combination of cajun seasoning, paprika, and fresh thyme to give this pasta some serious flavor.

Cheese: a little grated pecorino romano gives the pasta that perfect cheesy goodness.

Ingredient Substitutions and Frequently Asked Questions

Pasta – feel free to use whatever pasta you prefer! Whole wheat pasta would be delicious or you can use a gluten free pasta if you like to keep this dish gluten free.
Sausage – if you prefer not to use a pork sausage and you can use andouille chicken sausage instead.
Coconut milk – feel free to use half and half instead of coconut milk if you prefer.
Veggies – you can absolutely add in a few more fresh veggies to this pasta if you like! some great options would be sliced zucchini, spinach, or even some fresh tomatoes.
Chicken broth – don’t have chicken broth? you can easily use veggie broth instead.
Cheese – if you prefer the taste of parmesan cheese you can swap the pecorino Romano for parm instead! Or, if you would like to keep this recipe dairy-free, just swap the grated cheese for your favorite vegan variety.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta

(full recipe instructions in the recipe card, below)

Step One: Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions, in a large pot of boiling salted water. Once cooked, remove the pot from the heat, drain the pasta, and return the pasta to the pot. Set aside.

Step Two: Add the shrimp to a small mixing bowl and season with a bit of cajun seasoning. Toss until the shrimp is well coated.

Step Three: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add half of the olive oil to the pan and then add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for a few minutes per side until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Step Four: Add the remaining half of the olive oil to the skillet. Add the sliced sausage to the pan and cook for a few minutes per side until browned. Next, add the minced garlic, diced onion, and sliced peppers to the skillet. Cook for another five minutes or so until the onion is translucent and the peppers are tender. Remove the sausage, peppers, and onions from the skillet and transfer them to a heat safe dish.

Step Five: Now make the sauce. Add the full fat coconut milk, chicken broth, lemon juice, cajun seasoning, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme to the skillet. Stir until well combined. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer. Once the sauce has simmered, make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch and a bit of water. Pour in the slurry to thicken the sauce.

Step Six: Pour the sauce over the pasta in the large pot, then add the sausage, shrimp, and veggies to the pot as well. Heat the pasta over low heat and stir everything together until well combined. Lastly, finish the pasta by stirring in some grated cheese and a bit of sliced green onion. Serve with additional sliced green enjoy!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: store the pasta in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Reheat: I found the best way to reheat this pasta to be in a small pan or pot on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. You can add a little extra broth or coconut milk to the pasta if the noodles have soaked up the sauce.

More Pasta Recipes to Love

I hope you give this Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta a try! It’s creamy, delicious, and full of flavor!

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