This Creamy Louisiana Shrimp Pasta is rich and delicious. It is quick to cook, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
The sweet, juicy shrimp are cooked with traditional Creole flavors before being tossed through pasta coasted in a cream cheese and sour cream sauce.
Serve with a side salad for an easy dinner with a touch of spice. Serve it for Mardi Gras or whenever you need a delicious shrimp dinner!
Making a sour cream sauce for pasta
The sauce is made from cream cheese, sour cream, and milk. This creates a lusciously creamy sauce without the need for flour to thicken it, which is great for people following a gluten-free diet (ensure your pasta is GF).
When you first add the cream cheese and sour cream to the pan, it will look bitty and lumpy, don't panic; stir the sauce slowly, and the cheese and sour cream will melt into the milk to create your sauce.
What pasta to use?
I like to use penne or cavatappi, or fusilli for this recipe. The creamy sauce sticks to all the ridges and the size makes them perfect for picking up a bit of shrimp, capsicum and pasta.
Which shrimp to buy for pasta
I like to buy frozen raw shrimp! I always have them in the freezer and know I always have something quick for dinner. Go for 20-25 or 26-30 count, which gives a good serving of shrimp per person - between 8-12.
Make sure you buy raw shrimps for this dish, this will avoid overcooking the shrimp. Overcooked shrimp are rubbery and bland and that is just a waste of shrimp 🙁
Cooking your shrimp
The shrimp are coated in creole seasonings and then flash-fried until almost cooked. White wine is then added to add flavor, and the steam cooks the shrimp through. They then get added to the sauce at the very end of the dish.
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Serving Suggestion
Side: Serve this non-Italian creamy Louisiana Shrimp pasta with a warm sweetcorn salad dressed with butter and black pepper. Or add some crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Wine: The Creole seasoning in the Louisiana shrimp pair well with several wines, but with the creamy sauce, this dish will be perfect with a Prosecco or a sparkling rose.
For red lovers, this shrimp pasta could carry a Pinot noir, but avoid any high alcohol high tannin reds as they won't work with the creole spices in this dish.
More delicious shrimp pasta recipes:
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Creamy Louisiana Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon salt
For the Shrimp
- 14 oz raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoon creole seasoning (Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine (Note 3)
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped (Note 4)
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoon creole seasoning (Note 2)
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel optional
- zest half a lemon
- fresh coriander
Instructions
Marinade the shrimp
- Mix the shrimp with the olive oil and creole seasoning. Set aside to marinade.14 oz raw shrimp - peeled and deveined2 teaspoon creole seasoning1 tablespoon olive oil
Cook your Pasta
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil.
- Add the salt and the pasta and cook for a minute less than the packet suggests.1 tablespoon salt12 oz pasta
For the sauce
- While the water is coming to a boil, prepare your sauce and shrimp.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and fry the chopped onion and pepper over medium heat until soft.1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion1 red bell pepper
- Reduce the heat under your skillet, add the minced garlic to the onion mixture, stir well, then add in the cream cheese, sour cream, milk, creole seasoning, and ground fennel (if using).2 garlic cloves¼ cup cream cheese¼ cup sour cream1 cup milk2 teaspoon creole seasoning½ teaspoon ground fennel
- Stir continuously until smooth and place over low heat.
- While the pasta is cooking, fry your shrimp.
- Place a another large skillet over high heat. Once it is hot, add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute until they start to curl into a loose C shape.Add in the white wine and let it bubble and evaporate.¼ cup white wine
- Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pan.
- Add the sauce to the pasta and ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute until everything is coated. Add more pasta water if needed.
- Add in the shrimp and lemon zest.zest half a lemon
- Serve immediately with a garnish of coriander.fresh coriander
Notes
- Ideally, use penne or cavatappi, or fusilli for this recipe. But a ling pasta strand would work too.
- You can buy creole seasoning in the grocery store or make your own with my easy recipe. (get it here) You can also substitute cajun seasoning.
- If you don't drink wine or have wine in the house, you can use a low sodium broth or just water.
- Use any onion; brown, white, or red will work well.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Jennifer says
There's amazing flavor in this recipe! It's so good and quick and easy to make, too! My family gobbled it all up!
Claire McEwen says
I am so pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Sherry says
Your pasta recipe is the best!! I love how easy it is to make and I was able to make this creamy Louisiana shrimp pasta recipe as an easy weeknight meal.
Claire McEwen says
So happy that you all enjoyed it Sherry 🙂
Cx
Susannah says
I was craving Louisiana flavors so I made this last night. Delicious!
Lynn Polito says
My whole family loved this recipe! It's a keeper!
Claire McEwen says
So happy you enjoyed it Lynn 🙂
Cx
Patrice says
This is a great quick weeknight meal that is full of flavor and I really enjoyed cooking this for my family.
Claire McEwen says
So happy you enjoyed it Patrice
🙂
Kathy says
My family loved this!
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am glad Kathy 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Rupali says
I love this recipe so much! This is going to be a regular at my place. Kids love it too!!
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it Rupali 🙂
Cx
Linda says
Love the addition of creole in this pasta recipe. So good and addictive!
Claire McEwen says
It is just such a comforting meal isn't it?
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Alex Bala says
I'm keeping this recipe in my dinner rotation! I was fantastic!
Claire McEwen says
So pleased you enjoyed it Alex 🙂
Cx
Mandy Applegate says
Oh my word, this shrimp pasta was the best I've EVER tasted!
Claire McEwen says
So happy you enjoyed it Mandy, shrimp pastas are some of my favs 🙂
Cx