Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep all of your ingredients. Add the pasta to boiling water around the same time you start cooking the shrimp.
- Combine the shrimp, Cajun seasoning, and olive oil in a bowl. Toss to combine.
- Add salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil. At the same time, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the penne pasta to the salted boiling water and cook to al dente. Before draining, scoop out at least 1/2 cup of the cooking water to reserve for thinning the sauce if needed. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Add the butter to the skillet and melt. Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook until golden brown on each side, turning only once. You may need to cook shrimp in two batches. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean plate and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the heavy cream to the pan and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any seasoning stuck to the skillet. Allow the cream to bubble around the edges. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted.
- Add the cooked pasta and shrimp and stir to coat. If the sauce needs to be thinned, add the reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
If using store-bought Cajun seasoning, which often contains more salt, start with a smaller amount and add more to taste. You may need to add additional salt to your serving depending on your preferences. To reduce spice, lower the amount of cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes. Chicken breast or scallops can be used instead of shrimp. Grating parmesan cheese from a block using a microplane is recommended for best melting. You can double the recipe to serve more people.