This creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is one of my favorite go-to pasta dishes and the best part is that it’s actually easy to make! Packed with juicy tender shrimp and spiced andouille sausage, it’s a creamy, cozy, and hearty weeknight meal. The best part? All you need are a few simple ingredients to make it!
Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
I am a big fan of a creamy delicious pasta dish. There’s just something so comforting about a cozy bowl of pasta and this Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is next level when it comes to cozy, comforting, and flavorful.
The combination of shrimp, andouille sausage, and creamy flavorful pasta sauce is a match made in heaven. Also, this recipe is easy to customize and you can easily make a completely dairy free version if you prefer.
This one checks all of the boxes for a weeknight meal. It’s relatively easy to make, packed with flavor, and something the whole family will enjoy!
Key Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Ingredients
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. If you prefer not to use a pork sausage and you can use andouille chicken sausage instead.
Veggies & Herbs: a combination of yellow onion, bell peppers, garlic, and fresh thyme are all you need. 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.
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. Don’t have chicken broth? you can easily use veggie broth instead.
Arrowroot starch: this helps to thicken the sauce a bit, without flour, so that it perfectly coats each piece of pasta.
Cheese: a little grated pecorino romano gives the pasta that perfect cheesy goodness. 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.
How to Make Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
(full recipe instructions in the recipe card, below
More Pasta Recipes I Know You’ll Love
- Cheesy One Skillet Italian Baked Meatballs
- Sausage and Broccoli Pasta
- Healthy Baked Ziti
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Pesto Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Lasagna Soup
I hope you give this Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta a try! It’s creamy, delicious, and full of flavor! If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
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Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is one of my favorite go-to pasta dishes and the best part is that it’s actually easy to make! Packed with juicy tender shrimp and spiced andouille sausage, it’s a creamy, cozy, and hearty weeknight meal. The best part? All you need are a few simple ingredients to make it!
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta (gluten free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 small orange bell pepper, sliced
- 1 – 13.5oz can full fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion, plus more for garnish
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 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.
- Add the shrimp to a small mixing bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning. Toss until the shrimp is well coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and then add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1/2 olive oil to the skillet. Add the sliced sausage to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Next, add the minced garlic, diced onion, and sliced peppers to the skillet. Cook for 5-6 more minutes or 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.
- Now make the sauce. Add 1 can of full fat coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon 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 for 10 minutes. 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.
- 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 1 cup of grated cheese and 1/4 cup of sliced green onion. Serve with additional sliced green enjoy!
Notes
Ashlea’s Tips & Tricks
Don’t love shrimp? Leave it out altogether or swap it for chicken instead.
Remember to salt your pasta water! Well seasoned pasta is the key to any pasta dish.
If you prefer, you can swap the coconut milk for whole milk.
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.
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: THE MINDFUL HAPA
Another smash hit! I doubled this and we killed it in a day and a half! 3 of my boys, husband and myself could not get enough! Your flavors are always on point. Thanks again!
Another winner! I made this on NYE and we loved it! I appreciate how straightforward and accessible Ashlea’s recipes are. I love making them because I know they will always turn out right and I usually already have the ingredients on hand. Thanks for all you do, Ashlea!
I don’t know how you do it Ashlea, but this was amazing! It’s a keeper like all the rest I’ve tried.
My husband doesn’t like super spicy so I cut back on the red pepper flakes and cayenne.
Thank you!!
So glad y’all liked it, Ria!
this was so delicious!! So yummy and nutritious!