Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta (High Protein)

This creamy Cajun shrimp pasta is so delicious and decadent, you won’t believe it’s HEALTHY, too! Chock full of protein and flavor, this is a pasta dish that you’ll want to keep in your dinner rotation. Last year, for our anniversary, my husband whisked me away to beautiful New Orleans for a romantic weekend of sight-seeing, relaxing and of course, EATING. This pasta was inspired by the creamy Cajun pastas we sampled all over the city. I’ve also seen it listed on menus as a “Cajun Shrimp Alfredo”.

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Ingredients

My creamy Cajun shrimp pasta has very few ingredients, and comes together in the time it takes you to boil some pasta.

Protein Pasta

So, I used my favorite higher-protein pasta (it tastes just like regular pasta to me) but you can use any type of pasta noodles you’d like.

Protein (Shrimp)

My whole family loves shrimp so that’s an easy choice for me, but you can totally make this recipe with chicken, andouille sausage, or even a mix of proteins. Just be sure to fully cook each protein before adding in the noodles and sauce. I love big shrimp, and so I went with the 16/20 count for this Cajun shrimp alfredo dish, but you can use any size of raw shrimp.

Seasoning

I kept it simple with a Cajun seasoning blend, some dried thyme and some cayenne (optional) to add a little kick! Cajun spice blends can vary from brand to brand, so just check yours to see if it contains salt. Mine did, and I didn’t have any need to add any extra to my creamy Cajun shrimp pasta recipe. And, as always, taste and adjust seasonings to your personal preference.

High Protein Cream Sauce HACK

My favorite cream sauce “hack” is to blend a low-fat cottage cheese with a bit of milk, grated parmesan and some seasonings to create a thick and creamy sauce that reminds me of Alfredo sauce. Using cottage cheese instead of heavy cream saves A TON of calories, plus it adds in extra protein. And it tastes absolutely incredible. Trust me, I’m not normally a cottage cheese fan AT ALL. I refuse to eat it plain, but blended into a creamy sauce? SIGN ME UP.

I have this Ninja blender, and love using the 16oz blender cups to make the cream sauce. You can use any blender you have.

Veggies

I keep it super simple. I used a whole red bell pepper and a handful of scallions. That’s all you need to create the delicious flavor in this cajun shrimp Alfredo!

Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Recipe Notes

Start by cooking your protein pasta according to package direction. Drain pasta, making sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water. We’ll be using this later in the recipe. If you forget to reserve some pasta water, it’s ok, we can substitute a bit of plain water.

My creamy cajun shrimp pasta has few ingredients, which means the quality of each ingredient matters. I love using a jumbo or large-sized shrimp in this cajun shrimp Alfredo dish. You’ll want to make sure your shrimp is fully thawed, cleaned and deveined. Add shrimp to a bowl, drizzle on the olive oil and add in your seasonings. Stir to coat. Heat a stainless skillet over medium-high heat and add your shrimp in a single layer. Cook for two minutes, and using tongs, flip each piece.

Continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Shrimp will be plump and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside. See the little browned bits stuck to the pan? This is a FLAVOR BOMB. In the same pan, add your bell peppers and scallions and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add in a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of your reserved pasta water to deglaze the pan. Make sure to scrape up all those delicious browned bit, because they really add a lot of flavor to this Cajun shrimp alfredo dish.

Cottage Cheese Cream Sauce

Turn down the heat to low, and let the vegetables simmer while you make the cottage cheese cream sauce. Add cottage cheese, parmesan, cajun seasoning and milk to a glass measuring cup (or bowl) and give it a stir. Microwave for one minute. Add to a blender cup and blend until smooth.

Pour into your vegetable mixture and stir, heating slowly. The reason we turned our heat down to low is because boiling cream/milk will make it curdle and separate. We don’t want this!

Give the mixture a stir to combine and taste sauce. I did not add any salt to this recipe because my cajun seasoning contained salt. Some mixes may not, so best to taste and adjust salt to your preferences.

Then, add in your cooked shrimp and pasta. Using tongs, gently toss to coat the pasta in the creamy cajun sauce.

Finally, top with additional scallions if desired and serve immediately!

If you loved the Cajun flavors of this pasta, you might want to try my Instant Pot shrimp jambalaya recipe too! Or, try my alfredo pasta for a milder version.