Description
Mardi Gras Pasta is a flavorful Cajun-inspired dish combining colossal shrimp, smoked sausage, and crawfish tails in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce served over linguine pasta. With vibrant bell peppers, mushrooms, and a blend of Cajun spices, this dish delivers a rich and satisfying taste reminiscent of New Orleans cuisine, perfect for a hearty family dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Seafood and Meat
- 1 lb colossal sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz smoked sausage, sliced
- 12 oz crawfish tail meat
Produce
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 diced onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Dairy
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Pantry
- 1 package linguine pasta (about 12 oz)
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (divided)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Prepare the linguine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season Shrimp: Peel and devein the raw shrimp and season with garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, and paprika evenly.
- Cook Shrimp: Heat 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until fully cooked and opaque. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Cook Sausage: In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp butter. Add sliced smoked sausage and cook 1-2 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside with shrimp.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onion, green bell pepper, mushrooms, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Stir in lemon juice, crushed tomatoes, and heavy whipping cream. Add remaining 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
- Add Crawfish and Simmer Sauce: Stir in crawfish tail meat and continue to simmer the sauce for 10-12 minutes until it thickens to desired consistency.
- Combine Sauce and Pasta: Add cooked linguine pasta to the skillet, tossing gently to coat the noodles with the creamy Cajun sauce.
- Serve: Top the pasta with cooked shrimp and browned sausage slices. Optionally, sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Serve alongside garlic bread and enjoy!
Notes
- For extra heat, add crushed red pepper flakes or more Cajun seasoning.
- You can substitute smoked sausage with Andouille sausage for a more authentic Cajun flavor.
- Crawfish tails can be replaced with peeled shrimp or lobster meat if unavailable.
- Use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta to adapt the recipe for dietary preferences.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat gently on stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 220mg
