Cajun shrimp pasta (Instant Pot and stovetop versions)

If you go to a Cajun or seafood restaurant in south Louisiana, the menu will be packed with fried seafood and seafood-based rice dishes, plus a single pasta option. That pasta is always a simple, creamy dish with long noodles and shrimp, crawfish, and/or crab. It is seasoned with seafood seasoning, and is creamy from Parmesan. (Louisianans laugh at the Italian rule to not mix seafood and cheese.) Here's a version I can quickly whip up using ingredients I can find outside of Louisiana.

Notes on seasonings:
You already know that Tony Chacheres is a staple in my cooking. It's cheap and you can buy it in most supermarkets or on Amazon.

For anything with seafood, I also like to add Zatarain's liquid seafood boil concentrate. This is the seasoning mix that shrimp, crawfish, and crab are always boiled in in Louisiana. It is spicy blend of cayenne, bay, cloves, thyme, mustard, and coriander, but you wouldn't know it. Together, these seasonings form a gestalt that is different from the sum of its parts and is the perfect seafood enhancer. Amazingly, I can buy it in our grocery store in Corvallis, Winco, by the seafood counter. It will be hit or miss whether you can get it in your supermarket, but you can buy it on Amazon for cheap. It's an optional ingredient in this recipe, but give it a try if you get a chance. You'll end up adding it into all sorts of gumbos, jambalayas, etoufees, and stews.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta (Instant Pot version)

Shrimp marinade

• 1 lb raw peeled shrimp, thawed
• 1/2 t Tony Chacheres
• 1/2 to 1 t Zatarain's liquid concentrated shrimp and crab boil. 1/2 t will give you a moderately spicy dish; 1 t will give you a spicy dish (optional)
• 1 t lemon juice

Pasta

• 4 T butter
• 8 oz veggies of choice (mushrooms and/or bell peppers)
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 t Tony Chacheres
• 1 t salt
• 1 lb long thin pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, broken in half
• 3 cups water

Garnishes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup heavy cream (stir this in at the end for extra creaminess; optional)
2 t lemon juice (optional)
several green onions, sliced OR handful of chopped parsley (optional)

Marinate shrimp for 30 minutes. This is optional; if you don't have time, just add the marinade to the shrimp while sautéing. 

Set the Instant Pot to saute on high. Turn on sauté mode and cook shrimp in butter, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Add veggies, sauteing for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except garnish, stir together gently. The pasta will not be completely covered by the liquid. That's ok, it will steam and soften as it cooks. Place lid on Instant Pot, seal, and set to manual pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick release when finished. Stir in reserved shrimp. Pasta should be saucy. If it is too dry and thick, add a bit more water. If it is too thin, let stand, uncovered, for a few minutes to thicken. Stir in any garnishes and serve.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta (stovetop version)
Shrimp marinade

• 1 lb raw peeled shrimp, thawed
• 1/2 t Tony Chacheres
• 1/2 to 1 t Zatarain's liquid concentrated shrimp and crab boil. 1/2 t will give you a moderately spicy dish; 1 t will give you a spicy dish (optional)
• 1 t lemon juice

Pasta

• 1 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
• 1 t salt

Sauce

• 4 T (1/4 cup) butter
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 t Tony Chacheres
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz veggies of choice (mushrooms and/or bell peppers)
• salt to taste

Garnishes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup heavy cream (stir this in at the end for extra creaminess; optional)
1 t lemon juice (optional)
several green onions, sliced OR handful of chopped parsley (optional)

Marinate shrimp for 30 minutes. This is optional; if you don't have time, just add the marinade to the shrimp while sautéing. 

Boil pasta with salt until just short of al dente.

While pasta is boiling, make sauce. Heat butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat and add shrimp and veggies, searing for about 2 minutes on each side. If there's any shrimp marinade/liquid left, reserve it--it's full of flavor! Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Return marinade to pan, add remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off heat, drain pasta and add sauce. Let the pasta rest for a few minutes to carry-over cook and absorb excess liquid from sauce. Stir in any garnishes and serve.