#Cajun pasta how to#
#Cajun pasta mac#

Layer the garlic, onions, and fire roasted tomatoes on top of the ziti.Sprinkle ½ of the spice mix on top of the ziti and broth. In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper and salt.Push the ziti under the broth with a wooden spoon so that it's in an even layer and covered by the broth. Add the chicken broth and ziti to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.Overall it is done in less than 30 minutes and leaves you with little clean up and an incredibly delicious dinner! It takes about 5 minutes of prep and 3 minutes of pressure cooking (with a 10 minute wait for the pot to come to pressure). Instant Pot Cajun pasta is simple and quick to make. Substitute with whole milk or evaporated milk for a 'lighter' sauce.Ĭhicken Broth: chicken stock, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock can all be used instead. Heavy Cream: heavy cream creates a rich creamy sauce. Yellow onions or shallots can be used instead. Sweet Onions: sweet onions give this smokey meal a tiny hint of sweetness. You can substitute with large frozen shrimp, but don't go any smaller than that. If you use raw, they will likely turn rubbery in the 3 minutes of pressure cooking time. Jumbo Frozen Shrimp: always use peeled frozen since shrimp cooks quickly. You can skip the parmesan and use all mozzarella, too. Parmesan: use freshly shredded parmesan or pecorino romano. Bags of shredded cheese will not melt nicely into soups, broths, and stews because they are coated in preservatives. Whichever cheese you use, make sure to freshly shred it so it melts smoothly.

White Cheddar: extra sharp white cheddar gives the best flavor here, but you can substitute with mozzarella or use all parmesan. But if you love smoky-flavored meals, fire roasted tomatoes are the way to go.

Because the seasoning uses smoked paprika, you can use a can of diced tomatoes or homemade roasted tomatoes to eliminate just a bit of smokiness. Ziti, penne, rigatoni, shells, elbows, linguini, fettuccine, and pappardelle are good choices.įire Roasted Tomatoes: these tomatoes give your meal a subtle smoky flavor so they are used often in Cajun-style cooking. You don't want to overcook the shrimp by choosing a pasta that takes longer to cook. Pasta: the key with your pasta choice is to use one that will cook in 3 minutes and is intended for a creamy sauce. A store bought Cajun seasoning can be substituted. For a less smoky meal, use sweet paprika or regular paprika. The smoked paprika gives the seasoning that traditional flare of Cajun cooking. If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes! Ingredients & Substitutions Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta Ingredients SubstitutionsĬajun Seasoning: this recipe uses a homemade Cajun seasoning made with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, thyme, and oregano.

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup (not pasta, but creamy and delicious!).

#Cajun pasta mac#

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese.

Serve sprinkled with parsley and extra Parmesan.

Combine and serve: Slice the chicken breasts and add to the pasta.

Add the cooked pasta and a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin down the sauce if necessary. Turn down the heat then add the grated Parmesan cheese. Allow to simmer gently for a few minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add 1-2 tsp of Cajun seasoning and pour in the cream and lemon juice. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent.

#Cajun pasta how to#

How to make creamy Cajun chicken pasta sauce: Place the pan back over mediumheat and add a tablespoon of butter (or use oil).If the spices have browned too much, wipe the pan out with a piece of paper towel. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Heat a large frying pan and add a splash of oil. Season generously on both sides with Cajun seasoning. Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken on a cutting board in front of you and carefully slice each in half, horizontally, resulting in two thin fillets.

I used Rigatoni but any short pasta shape will work. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts/fillets. Juicy cajun-spiced chicken on top of creamy pasta is a meal the whole family will love. This easy Cajun chicken pasta is a weeknight dinner dream.