Here at Dagostino Handmade Pasta, we like to think we know a thing or two about great Italian cuisine, but we're not whipping up our incredible homemade pasta in a vacuum! Here in New Orleans, we like to add some sumptuous spice to our favorite pasta dishes! Today, we're bringing you our favorite Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe.
Sicilians have been cooking up a storm in New Orleans, Louisiana since the 1830s. There is nothing more delicious than pairing our tender pasta with some cajun spice to create a dish that brings a touch of the Bayou to the Venice Canals!
Our mouth-watering cajun pasta is a fresh and zesty take on your standard Shrimp Alfredo dish. If you like to use a little heat in your cooking, you will fall in love with this easy shrimp Alfredo recipe. Best of all, you can use high-quality Dagostino pasta, made with only pure semolina and spring water.
Keep reading to learn how to pair our handmade pasta with authentic Alfredo ingredients and whip up the best cajun shrimp Alfredo recipe in town!
- What You'll Need
- Step One: Prepare the Pasta
- Step Two: Cook the Cajun Shrimp
- Step Three: Create the Sauce
- Step Four: Combine and Plate
- Elevate the Meal
- Craft This Alfredo Pasta Recipe with Dagostino's Best
What You'll Need
The best recipes always begin with high-quality ingredients, so we suggest that you spare no expense when you're at the grocery store! Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't remind you that the best pasta dishes begin with Dagostino Handmade pasta! We suggest our fettuccine pasta if you're going classic!
You will need:
- One package of Dagostino Pasta
- 1 lb of Medium Peeled, Deveined Shrimp
- 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning (unless you like it very hot)
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 stalk finely chopped celery
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/3rd cup chicken stock (pescatarians can try vegetable stock)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Sliced scallions for garnish, if desired
These ingredients will create four hearty helpings of this delicious recipe. Feel free to double it for a crowd, or halve it for date night!
Step One: Prepare the Pasta
You can begin by preparing our pasta according to package directions. If you have chosen classic fettuccine, that means it will be al dente in just six minutes!
Any type of Dagostino Pasta will work, however! You can add a touch of extra cajun flare by using one of our Louisiana-inspired shaped pastas, such as our Fleur de Lis Shaped pasta.
Step Two: Cook the Cajun Shrimp
Add your olive oil to a large skillet over medium or medium-high heat. Tilt to coat the bottom and edges of the skillet with warm oil.
As the skillet heats up, toss your cajun seasoning with your uncooked shrimp until you have fully coated them. Add your shrimp to the skillet and cook until the shrimp is no longer translucent. Watch it closely, as overcooked shrimp can be tough, and you want your cajun shrimp to be the delicious centerpiece of this simple dish!
To get the cook just right, we suggest heating your shrimp for two minutes, flipping, and heating for another two. Once they seem done, remove them from the heat so they don't continue cooking. Set them on a plate and put them aside with your cooked pasta.
Step Three: Create the Sauce
While your skillet is still hot and oily, add the garlic, onion, and celery right away. You will want to stir constantly, and use the onion as your baseline. You want the onion to be nice and tender, which usually takes about three minutes.
Add your stock and stir to get any burnt bits loose. Next, stir in your heavy cream, parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Continue stirring constantly as the mixture cooks for an additional four or five minutes, or until it's nice and thick.
Step Four: Combine and Plate
While the sauce is still in the pan, add your cooked pasta and toss to coat. From there, either transfer the coated pasta to a serving dish or onto individual plates. Top the dish or each serving with the shrimp.
We suggest adding some freshly sliced scallions for garnish, which add a touch of extra color and flavor and compliment the pleasant pink of the shrimp! We serve ours with some extra grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling, too!
Elevate the Meal
While this delicious cajun alfredo pasta is more than enough on its own, it's even better with a few delicious sides and accompaniments! It can be a little heavy, so a lighter side can help balance out the plate!
Some of our favorite suggestions include:
- A side of garlic broccoli
- A Caesar salad or garden salad
- A delicious piece of Italian bread with oil and vinegar dip
- Some roasted asparagus
If you have leftovers, you can store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for two to three days. Chances are good that you won't have any, however! It doesn't get much more delicious than this incredible pasta, and it tends to disappear!
Craft This Alfredo Pasta Recipe with Dagostino's Best
Our favorite part about this cajun alfredo pasta recipe is that you don't need to save it for a special occasion! It's just as delicious as a weeknight dinner as it is as a date night splurge! Once you've added the best alfredo pasta recipe into your rotation, you won't want to go back to your boring old standby!
Are you wondering how to make alfredo taste better? Combine it with Dagostino Handmade Pastas for an authentic Italian taste that you can't replicate! Visit our online store and pick out a selection of pasta, then let us know which one you think pairs best with this incredible dish!
