A lightening fast, lighter version of Alfredo with tons of flavor and quick-cooking shrimp. This 20-minute pasta is one of our back pocket meals and works as a vegetarian dish, made with chicken, or with quick-cooking shrimp taken straight from your freezer (as done here). If you want to keep this “light” you can steam the veggies and protein – this keeps everything tender and juicy without added fat. However you cook them, the sauce will have plenty of flavor to keep this dish totally delicious.
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Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Ingredients
1 lb fettuccine, cooked
1 lb medium peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips
2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
1 cup milk (low fat works fine if you want to keep this lighter)
1 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain (do not rinse!) and set aside. In the meantime, add the shrimp and pepper to a large bowl. Sprinkle with cajun seasoning and toss to coat well.
- Add 1 tablespoons of the oil to a large high-sided pan or skillet set over medium heat. Add the shrimp and pepper and sauté until the shrimp are opaque and the pepper is fork tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp and peppers to a plate.
- Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, until garlic is just fragrant, and then whisk in flour. Keep mixing until the flour and oil mixture is completely smooth.
- Add broth in a slow steady stream and whisk some more. Cook for 30 seconds or so and add milk in a slow steady stream. Keep whisking to make sure that your sauce stays smooth. Cook for 3 minutes or so, until the sauce thickens (it should part as you drag a silicone spatula through it). Be careful not to thicken the sauce too much since the cheese will also thicken it further.
- Remove the sauce from heat and whisk in the Parmesan; keep whisking until smooth again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta, shrimp and peppers to the skillet and, using tongs, toss until everything is well coated. Finish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.