Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Summer. Rémy's fishing trips continue — every other weekend, sometimes with Luc (who comes more often now, as if he senses the leaving and wants to store up the fishing before the fishing becomes visits instead of routine). They fish the bayou and the marsh and the bank of the river, and I watch them from whatever vantage point the day provides — the dock, the bank, the truck — and I see Joey in both of them: in Luc's cast and in Rémy's patience and in the way they stand at the water's edge, not touching, not talking, just present, the way Cajun men are present: silently, completely, with the water doing the talking that the men won't.

Made a fish court bouillon from the trout they caught — the tomato-based fish stew, Joey's Friday dish. The three of us cooked together: Luc made the roux (blonde — he prefers blonde, which is his choice and his right), Rémy chopped the trinity, I handled the stock. Three Beaumont men in one kitchen. Three generations of the technique. The stew simmered and the kitchen smelled like Thibodaux and the conversation was about nothing and everything and the nothing is the everything when three men cook together and the cooking is the conversation.

That court bouillon won’t always be a Friday dish — someday it’ll be a memory we reach for instead of a pot we stir. But the flavors of that afternoon, the roux and the trinity and the stock coming together while three of us stood shoulder to shoulder in a kitchen that smelled like home, are what I keep coming back to. This Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta isn’t court bouillon, but it carries the same soul: the heat, the richness, the way Cajun cooking turns simple ingredients into something that asks you to slow down and stay at the table a little longer. Make it on a weeknight when you need the bayou to come to you.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 oz linguine or fettuccine
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Season the shrimp. Toss the peeled and deveined shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning in a bowl and set aside while you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the pasta. Cook linguine or fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining, then drain and set aside.
Sear the shrimp. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil. Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Build the base. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Add tomatoes and seasoning. Stir in the drained diced tomatoes and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes, letting the tomatoes concentrate slightly.
Build the sauce. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Finish with cheese. Stir in the Parmesan until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Combine and serve. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Fold in the cooked shrimp and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning as needed. Serve topped with sliced green onions and fresh parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta — The Kitchen Is the Conversation