Creamy Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo pasta is super scrumptious comfort food that everyone around your table is going to love and devour, y'all. Seasoned shrimp, set aside to soak up all of the spices while the wide rice noodles boil on the stove. Then, the Cajun trinity veggies brown down with sausage in the skillet. Next, the half and half, Parmesan and softened cream cheese are added to the pan to round out the body. Once thickened, the shrimp go into the skillet to cook through and release every one of their spice-spiked flavors into the creamy deliciousness. Finished off with a toss of fresh, hot rice pasta, this easy Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo is weeknight-friendly and company weekend-worthy. Yep and yay...
Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta with Cream Cheese is a hearty, comforting meal-in-one.
There's Just Something About Them Noodles, Y'all...
I don't know about y'all, but just the thought of a super creamy gluten free skillet noodle dish is enough to put me straight beside myself!
And, some time ago, Mark's mom sent over an entire six-pack of gluten free rice noodles. They're extra wide, as you can see in the pics. And lemme tell you, these fettuccine noodles hold on to a sauce even BETTER than their wheat-laden counterparts.
Well, I've been experimenting with them here and there. Swapping them out in existing recipes. And thinking ahead to all things gluten free noodle future, too.
So, when the thought of this creamy Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo pasta with cream cheese came into my head, I went straight to the pantry to grab a bag of these oh sooo super good noodles. And, I'm really glad that I did. Because they hold on to just about every drop of the creamy sauce, browned veggies and ultra-flavorful shellfish and meat.
Oh, y'all! This Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo is a definite keeper! It's rich and of course creamy. It's also super hearty, making it ideal for one of those days when your family needs a stick-to-your-ribs meal that never disappoints. This meat and seafood Alfredo is also perfect for company, as it's impressive presentation is further enhanced with just a simple side salad.
And the cheesiness, y'all! The Parmesan with a bit of softened cream cheese in this Cajun shrimp Alfredo with sausage really injects a wow factor into the dish. It's just the right finishing touch on a dish that I'm pretty confident will become a regular around your abode very, very soon. Indeed!
Creamy, delicious Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Alfredo Pasta with a bit of cream cheese is just as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat.
How to Make Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta w/Cream Cheese
Start the Cajun Alfredo by grabbing all of the ingredients:
Half and half, Cajun trinity veggies, shrimp, seasonings, sausage, butter, Parmesan cheese, gluten free wide rice noodles and cream cheese.
Get the water going for the noodles. And, pour the south Louisiana seasonings over the shrimp:
South Louisiana seasonings are natural shrimp-flavor enhancers.
And then use your hands to coat the shrimp with the spices:
The shrimp soak up all of the seasonings while you boil the noodles and brown the Cajun trinity veggies.
Now, get the Cajun trinity veggies going in the skillet:
Chopped Cajun trinity veggies inject just the amount of supporting flavor and texture to the dish.
When they start to soften and brown, add the roasted red bell peppers:
Jarred roasted red peppers add a pop of color and soft texture to the Creamy Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo sauce.
And the sausage:
Browning the sausage for a few minutes helps to release its flavor throughout the entire dish.
Until it looks like this:
Browned veggies and sausage make the perfect base for this Cajun alfredo pasta.
Now, add the milk and the cheeses. The softened cream cheese cubes fall to the bottom of the skillet. So, get in there with the back of your wooden spoon and break them up until they're one with the sauce:
The cheeses start melting immediately into the dish, adding body and flavor to the Alfredo.
When you're done, it should look like this:
Melted cheeses thicken the Alfredo sauce to perfection.
Now, add the seasoned shrimp to the pan:
The seasoned shrimp release all of their flavor into the sauce, which saves times and makes each bite of shrimp soft and supple.
And, stir occasionally while the shrimp cook through and release all of their insanely delicious flavor into the gluten free Alfredo sauce:
The Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta with Cream Cheese is ready for the cooked noodles, y'all.
When the shrimp cook up to temp, add the pasta and remove from heat:
The final step in the recipe is to stir the gluten free rice noodles into the sauce.
And that's it, y'all!
This creamy Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo pasta is a super-flavorful dish that really hits the spot. The shrimp and sausage satisfy your carnivorous cravings. And the creamy, two-cheese studded sauce comfort food hugs you from the inside out. And the wide rice pasta. It's perfect in the dish because it mimics 'regular' fettuccine. But, it doesn't fall apart like many gluten free pastas do after you cook them.
This dish is a win-win for simplicity, sophisticatedness and super easy preparation. Once you cut the veggies and slice the sausage, it's a low-maintenance race to one of the most tasty, on-point texture experiences to come out of your skillet.
Share this creamy Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo pasta with those who slap your hand when you laugh and hug you tight-tight when you cry. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
A bowl of piping hot Cajun shrimp and sausage Alfredo pasta is gluten free food-love at its finest.
Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta w/ Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gluten free wide rice noodles
For the Seasoned Shrimp
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons Crystal hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Alfredo Pasta w/ Cream Cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter or oil
- ⅓ cup chopped onions
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- ⅓ cup chopped green bell peppers
- ¼ cup jarred roasted red peppers, cut into strips
- 8 ounces sausage, sliced then cut in half
- 2 cups half and half or heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and chopped into cubes
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the wide rice noodles until very tender. Drain and keep warm.
- Season the shrimp with the hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley and paprika. Set aside.
- While the rice noodles are boiling and the shrimp are marinating, brown the onion, bell pepper and celery in the butter or oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- When the veggies are softened and beginning to brown, add the roasted red bell pepper strips, then add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sausage and veggies are browned completely.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to stir the veggies/sausage mixture for about one minute, just to let the temperature in the skillet drop a bite and keep the pan contents from sticking.
- Stir the milk and cheeses into the pot, using the back of a wooden spoon to break up the softened cream cheese cubes.
- When the cheeses are melted into the mixture, add the seasoned shrimp.
- Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn opaque and a digital thermometer inserted into a few of them reads 145 degrees F.
- Taste, and add salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
- Stir the cooked rice noodles into the dish a bit a time, until all of the noodles are covered with the saucy mixture. (If the cooked noodles are stuck together, run them under hot water for several seconds, then drain completely, before adding them to the skillet.)
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
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