The highlight of this Cajun Shrimp recipe is the rich, creamy sauce with a gentle kick that coats tender shrimp in smoky, slightly sweet flavor. Serve the shrimp over pasta or toss them with cream cheese spaghetti for a quick, satisfying dinner.
If you enjoy garlic butter shrimp, you’ll love this version as well. It’s cheesy, savory, and bold—built on classic Cajun flavors like garlic, cayenne, and paprika. The shrimp are tossed in a tomato-and-cream sauce with a touch of sriracha for heat. Serve these Cajun Shrimp with pasta, biscuits, or roasted vegetables for a quick, comforting meal.
Why I Love This Cajun Shrimp Recipe
- Adjustable heat. Reduce or omit the cayenne and sriracha for a milder dish, and let diners add hot sauce at the table if they want more spice.
- Filling and flavorful. With plenty of shrimp and cheese, this recipe is hearty enough to satisfy when served with pasta or rice.
- Versatile. Serve it with bread, noodles, or rice—each makes a great vehicle for the creamy sauce.
What You’ll Need
Below are the ingredients and a few substitution ideas. Refer to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Olive oil or another neutral oil like avocado or vegetable oil.
- Shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on is preferred).
- Seasonings including garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and paprika.
- Salt & pepper. Kosher salt and black pepper work well.
- Herbs. Dried oregano and thyme, or Italian seasoning as a substitute.
- Butter. Unsalted or salted.
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic is best; garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
- Tomato paste for concentrated tomato flavor.
- All-purpose flour to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Chicken or vegetable broth. Low-sodium is fine if you want to control salt.
- Heavy cream. Half-and-half can be used for a lighter sauce.
- Sriracha for heat—adjust to taste.
- Red bell pepper (diced) for sweetness and texture.
- Cheddar jack and parmesan cheese for creaminess and umami.
- To serve: cooked noodles, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro or parsley.
What Shrimp Should I Use?
Fresh shrimp give the best texture, but frozen shrimp thawed according to package directions work well. Large or medium shrimp are ideal so they don’t overcook and become tough.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp
These are the main steps to make the dish. Follow the recipe card for exact times and measurements.
- Season and cook the shrimp. Toss shrimp with the spice blend, then sear in hot oil 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the garlic. Melt butter in the skillet and cook minced garlic briefly until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and flour. Cook the tomato paste briefly, then stir in flour and cook to remove raw flour taste.
- Whisk in broth and cream. Slowly add chicken broth and simmer until slightly thickened, then stir in heavy cream and sriracha and simmer 3–5 minutes.
- Cook the bell pepper. Add diced red bell pepper and cook until softened.
- Melt the cheese. Stir in shredded cheddar jack and grated parmesan until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Finish and serve. Return the shrimp to the skillet, toss to coat, warm through, and serve over cooked noodles with lime wedges and fresh cilantro or parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh shrimp when possible. Fresh shrimp are preferable, but thawed frozen shrimp work fine—just dry them well before seasoning.
- Choose the right size. Large shrimp are ideal; smaller shrimp can overcook and become rubbery.
- Watch the cook time. Shrimp are done when opaque and pink; avoid overcooking to keep them tender.
- Richness options. For an extra-thick sauce, swap half the heavy cream for cream cheese.
- Serving ideas. Pasta is classic, but rice or crusty bread are excellent for soaking up the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Wide pasta like fettuccine pairs beautifully with the sauce, though white rice or garlic butter parmesan rice are great alternatives. A crusty loaf is perfect for sopping up any extra sauce.
Round out the meal with a light salad—avocado and tomato salad or a corn salad work well—or serve simple steamed greens such as green beans or broccoli for balance.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator. Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheating. Gently reheat in a skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
More Shrimp Recipes To Try
- Shrimp Enchiladas
- Baked Cream Cheese Pasta with Shrimp
- Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw
- Creamy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- Shrimp Nachos
- Shrimp Burgers
Cajun Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
For Serving
- Cooked noodles
- Lime wedges
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss shrimp with garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, and thyme until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook about 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Sprinkle flour over the tomato paste and garlic, stirring constantly for about 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in heavy cream and sriracha, and simmer 3–5 minutes so the sauce reduces and flavors meld.
- Add diced red bell pepper and cook about 5 minutes until softened.
- Mix in shredded cheddar jack and grated parmesan until the sauce is smooth and the cheese has melted.
- Return shrimp to the skillet, toss to coat, and warm through.
- Serve the Cajun Shrimp over cooked noodles, garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, and serve lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary according to ingredients and tools used.