Name: Shrimp & Crab Pasta with Creamy Cajun Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined; 1/2 pound lump crabmeat; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 yellow bell pepper, diced; 1/2 white onion, chopped; 1 rib celery, diced; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 pound spaghetti pasta; 1 cup reserved pasta water; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Description

A bold and creamy seafood pasta dish featuring tender shrimp, sweet lump crabmeat, and a rich Cajun-spiced cream sauce tossed with spaghetti for restaurant-quality comfort at home.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/2 pound lump crabmeat
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 rib celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound spaghetti pasta
1 cup reserved pasta water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain without rinsing.
While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, red and yellow bell peppers, and celery for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning; cook 1 minute.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes. Gradually whisk in heavy cream until smooth.
Add remaining Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and garlic powder. Simmer 3-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.
Season shrimp with remaining Cajun seasoning. In a separate skillet, sear shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Gently fold in crabmeat for last 30 seconds.
Toss cooked pasta with cream sauce, thinning with reserved pasta water as needed. Fold in shrimp and crab gently.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley if desired.

Notes

Use half-and-half instead of cream for a lighter version. Frozen shrimp and pasteurized crab can be used with proper thawing. For less spice, reduce Cajun seasoning or substitute with Old Bay.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Cajun

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Calories: 560
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 1100mg
Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 50g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 36g
Cholesterol: 200mg