Cajun-Style Shrimp Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo is an Italian classic. Its luscious sauce is traditionally created using only two primary ingredients: butter and Parmesan. When stirring a large quantity of cheese into pasta, the key to achieving a fully emulsified sauce — a creamy consistency — is making sure to save and utilize some of the pasta cooking water. This recipe gives the dish a Cajun spin by adding spiced shrimp, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeño, finishing it with a sharp hit of Creole mustard. If you can’t find Creole mustard, a mix of Dijon and whole-grain mustards works well.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¾teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾teaspoon onion powder
- ¾teaspoon ground sweet paprika
- ¼teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1pound peeled and deveined shrimp (any size)
- 3tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3celery stalks, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1medium yellow onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 1jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and minced
- 1 ½cups heavy cream
- ¾cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2tablespoons Creole mustard (or 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard plus 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard)
- 1pound fettuccine
- 2scallions, thinly sliced
- Hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.Step 2
Mix 1 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cayenne, then sprinkle all over the shrimp.Step 3
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the shrimp, flipping once, until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.Step 4
Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then stir in the celery, onion and bell pepper; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook another 2 minutes.Step 5
Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and reduced by a third, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the cheese and the mustard and whisk until the cheese has melted.Step 6
While the sauce simmers, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.Step 7
To the empty pot, add the cooked pasta, the sauce, the shrimp, ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid and half of the scallions. Toss to combine, adjusting with the remaining pasta water to achieve a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper.Step 8
Divide among plates or bowls and sprinkle with the remaining scallions. Serve with more Parmesan and hot sauce, if desired.