Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage

This Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage delivers a burst of bold, zesty flavor in every bite. Succulent shrimp and smoky andouille sausage are tossed with tender fettuccine in a rich, creamy sauce infused with Cajun seasoning, bell peppers, and a hint of garlic. It’s a quick and incredibly satisfying dish that brings the heat and comfort to your table.

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Quantity
Large shrimp, peeled and deveined	1 lb
Kosher salt	To taste
Fresh cracked black pepper	To taste
Cajun seasoning (or Creole seasoning)	1 teaspoon (plus 4 teaspoons for sauce)
Dried oregano	½ teaspoon
Olive oil	2 tablespoons (plus more as needed)
Andouille sausage or smoked sausage, thinly sliced	6 oz
Fettuccine pasta	10 ounces
Yellow onion, thinly sliced	½
Red bell pepper, thinly sliced	1
Brown sugar	1 teaspoon
Garlic, chopped	2-3 cloves
Crushed tomatoes	½ cup
Chicken broth, sodium free	1 cup
Heavy cream	1 cup
Grated Parmesan cheese	⅔ cup
Parsley, chopped	1 tablespoon (plus more for garnish)

Instructions:

• Season & Cook Shrimp: Toss the 1 lb large shrimp with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, and ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ensuring they are well coated. Heat a large skillet (or a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat and drizzle the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook for 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove the cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.
• Brown Sausage: Drizzle the pan with a little more olive oil if needed. Add the 6 oz thinly sliced andouille or smoked sausage to the skillet and brown until nicely caramelized, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the sausage to the same plate as the shrimp and set aside.
• Cook Pasta: While the sausage is browning, cook the 10 ounces of fettuccine pastaaccording to package directions in a separate pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well.
• Sauté Vegetables & Aromatics: Lower the heat in the skillet to medium and add a bit more olive oil if necessary. Add the ½ thinly sliced yellow onion, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion and pepper have softened a bit, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the 2-3 chopped cloves garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Build Sauce: Add the ½ cup crushed tomatoes, 1 cup sodium-free chicken broth, and 1 cup heavy cream to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to slightly thicken.
• Finish & Combine: Once simmering, add the ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese and stir until the Parmesan is completely blended into the sauce. Add the cooked fettuccine pasta and the cooked sausage to the skillet. Stir to combine everything and heat through, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Lastly, gently stir in the cooked shrimp just to heat through (avoid overcooking the shrimp).
• Serve: Serve immediately, garnished generously with chopped parsley.