Call it black magic or voo doo; the taste of the bayou sticks to your ribs, and on this night it was Creamy Cajun Pasta! Like her love for travel, Ash likes to venture out in her culinary expressions, and I’ve got to tell you I love it!
It can be fun experimenting with new and exciting flavors, and often challenges your senses to try more. Each dish tells a story, and we’re glad to listen. Our challenge to you is to put down your boring meal prep, and choose to travel.
Take your senses down the Mississippi and around the gulf to experience our great American history of food and the people who tell it! Please let us know the stories you’ve been told or may tell through food!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 1-2 pounds shrimp
- 6 ounces smoked sausage (sliced into 1/4 inch pieces)
- cajun seasoning (to taste)
- Italian seasoning (to taste)
- salt
- pepper
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- sea salt (to taste)
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- Sprinkle of Italian seasoning to finish (optional)
Instructions
Pasta
- Boil pasta in salty water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Shrimp and Sausage:
- Generously season shrimp with salt, pepper, Cajun and Italian seasonings. Slice OR dice sausage into 1/4 inch circles.
- In a large skillet, add 1 tbsp butter and melt it over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add shrimp and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until pink for a total of 8-10 minutes. Remove shrimp, put to the side.
- Add sliced sausage pieces and brown them on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until darker in color around the edges. Remove from the skillet onto a plate.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of water and add 2nd tbsp of butter
Sauce:
- To make the sauce, add remaining 1 tbsp butter to the pan, allow it to melt and then cook garlic in it until slightly browned – only for a couple of minutes. Next add chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and heavy cream and bring to a light simmer. Add Cajun seasoning, paprika and garlic powder and mix into the sauce.
- Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt to taste.
- Add cooked pasta into the sauce and mix in well. Next add the shrimp and sausage back into the pan and allow them to reheat for 2-3 minutes. Close the lid to help the heat stay in. Serve immediately!
Kienya says
This looks sooooooooo yummy! I’m definitely trying this recipe within the next 1-2 weeks. Also, I really like the suggestion of allowing youre tastebuds to travel and stepping out of your comfort zone. I so need to do this. Great job and thank you for the recipe!
Steph says
Thank you for this recipe! I don’t like cooking but this is one dish I love to make. Tastes so good and my family gives me compliments on it. I have used other pastas like angel hair but love the penne with shrimp and sausage.
Emma says
Hi- just wanted to let you know that I believe you got confused when typing recipe towards the end. You interchange shrimp and chicken a few times and it’s confusing. Thanks!
Gin says
Thank you so much for just getting straight to the point and keeping the post short… I have nightmares of how long recipe blogs are and this was perfect!