Ingredients:
- 12 raw shrimp (as many as you like, I like to have a lot in my pasta)
- 1 serving of pasta (preferably linguine)
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour (for thickening)
- Cajun seasoning (or your favorite spice blend)
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the flour to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Add the basil, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Return the shrimp to the skillet and warm through.
- Serve the pasta with the Cajun shrimp sauce.
How to Thicken the Sauce
If you want the sauce to be thicker, you can add a little bit of flour. To do this, add 1 tablespoon of flour to the skillet with the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese and cook until the sauce thickens.
Cajun Seasoning
If you don’t have Cajun seasoning, you can make it yourself. To do this, combine the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Tips
- For a more intense flavor, you can add a little bit of cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- You can also add vegetables to the sauce, such as bell peppers or mushrooms.
- For a more complete meal, you can serve the Cajun shrimp pasta with a side salad or soup.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Heavy cream: You can substitute heavy cream with thick cream, milk, or even water.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: You can substitute grated Parmesan cheese with your favorite grated cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmental, or Comté.
- Cajun seasoning: You can substitute Cajun seasoning with your favorite spice blend, such as a Provençal blend or a Mexican blend.
Cooking Tips
- To ensure that the shrimp are cooked through, make sure they are pink and opaque in the center.
- If you want the sauce to be thicker, you can add a little bit of flour. To do this, add 1 tablespoon of flour to the skillet with the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese and cook until the sauce thickens.
