This creamy Cajun shrimp pasta dish packs plenty of veggies to lighten up the creamy sauce. The Cajun spice gives this dish a little kick, and the sour cream adds a nice tang to the cream sauce that coats the shrimp.
Ingredients
1 pound raw large raw shrimp (26-30 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1 ½ teaspoons cajun seasoning
12 ounces fettuccine, preferably whole-wheat
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bunch scallions
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup half-and-half
1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach
⅓ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Combine shrimp and Cajun seasoning in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain. Return the pasta to the pot off the heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and toss to coat.
Meanwhile, thinly slice white and light green parts of scallions diagonally; set aside. Thinly slice dark green parts of scallions; set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced white and light green scallions, garlic, butter and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and half-and-half; bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned shrimp; reduce heat to medium and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through and opaque and the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes, turning the shrimp over halfway through. Remove from heat.
Heat the pasta in the pot over low heat. Add spinach, sour cream, salt, the shrimp mixture and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water; stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly and adding more cooking water, if necessary, until the sauce becomes thick and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Divide evenly among 6 bowls and garnish with the sliced dark green scallions. Serve immediately.
