Description
Pappadeaux Mardi Gras Pasta: Shrimp, chicken, pasta, and creamy Cajun sauce create a crowd-pleasing, comforting dish with a flavorful kick.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) linguine or fettuccine pasta
- 8 ounces (225g) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces (225g) crawfish tail meat (frozen is fine)
- 6 ounces (170g) andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (42g) butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. While the pasta cooks, prepare your sauce.
- Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced andouille sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to brown and release its oils. The sausage will add a wonderful smoky flavor base to your Pappadeaux Mardi Gras Pasta.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add diced onions and bell peppers. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Step 4: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning over the vegetable mixture and stir to coat everything evenly. This allows the spices to bloom in the hot oil, intensifying their flavors before adding the cream.
- Step 5: Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and let the sauce reduce for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until fully incorporated and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Step 6: Add the shrimp and crawfish to the sauce, stirring gently to coat them. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until the seafood is just opaque and pink. Don’t overcook! Taste your sauce and add the remaining Cajun seasoning if desired, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 7: Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat completely. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency. Let everything mingle for about 1 minute so the pasta can absorb some of the sauce.
- Step 8: Serve your Pappadeaux Mardi Gras Pasta immediately, garnished with sliced green onions and chopped parsley. The vibrant colors and enticing aroma will make this dish a showstopper at your table!
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (approximately 400g)
- Calories: 720 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 49g
- Saturated Fat: 26g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 155mg