Name: Cajun Style Royal Red Shrimp Pasta for One (or a crowd)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 Royal Red Shrimp, deveined with shell-on (or other wild-caught sustainable shrimp); 4 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine pasta (115g); 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (separated into two equal portions) (30g); 1/2 teaspoon liquid Concentrated Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab Boil, or to taste (3g); 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or more to taste (2g); 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste (5g); kosher salt to taste; cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Jump to Recipe

Jumbo shrimp, meet spicy Cajun! This Cajun-style shrimp pasta is ready to eat in 15 minutes! Just nine to 10 minutes for the pasta to cook to “al dente” while the sweet Argentine Royal Red shrimp cook in just about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Toss the pasta with the seasoned shrimp and buttery Cajun-spiced sauce and that’s it! A restaurant-quality shrimp pasta that’s both super tasty and easy to make at home. We definitely think it’s worthy of a spot on your rotating pasta roster. Plus, cleanup is a breeze. And if you’re feeling spicy, just add a little more heat.

fork holding a mouthful of cajun royal red spaghetti with a shrimp on it

bowl of Cajun. Royal Red Pasta with lots of shrimp in the shells on top

Spicy or not, This Shrimp Pasta is Delicious.

I personally love to eat this pasta a little on the spicier side. But when I make it for dinner parties or groups, I tend to add a little less heat and serve extra cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes on the table so everyone can choose how much (or how little) they’d like to add. Also, when making a recipe with so few ingredients, try to make sure the main ingredients are high-quality which always ensures the tastiest outcome.

zatarain's concentrated shrimp & crab boil (liquid bottle) — and Zatarain’s is from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA and has been around since 1889

Old Bay Seasoning Box held by a hand — Old Bay Seasoning is from Baltimore, Maryland, USA has been around for more than 75 years

Let’s Talk Shrimp

The shrimp used for this recipe are Argentinian Red shrimp, which is one of the famous varieties of Red Shrimp found in just a few places throughout the world. They’re sweeter and have a more tender texture than the average shrimp. I also use Gulf Coast Royal Reds for this recipe whenever I’m in the States and can order them from reputable sources near the coast.

In fact, Gulf Royal Reds are my all-time favorite of the “Reds” family (or any shrimp). However, nowadays it’s easier for most people to find red shrimp from Argentina, so I’ve used them for this shrimp recipe. Either of these red shrimp varieties will work beautifully in this pasta recipe. And if you can’t find the reds where you live, just use the best shrimp you can find and this pasta will still be delicious.

a closeup of piles of very raw red shrimp — Gulf Coast Royal Red shrimp (raw shrimp) photo courtesy of Aquila Seafood

a table full of fried fritto misto, raw crudo gamero rosso shrimp from italy and calamari — crudo (raw) Italian Gambero Rosso red shrimp (mot Italians only eat this red shrimp served raw)

closeup raw Italian shrimp on a plate — closeup of raw Italian Gambero Rosso (red shrimp)

single argentinian red shrimp with shell on — Argentinian Red Shrimp (more pink than Gulf Coast or Italian reds) purchased in NYC

5 raw argentinian red shrimp with shell removed — Argentinian Reds (raw with shell removed) purchased in Arkansas

Argentinian Red shrimp with shells on in fish paper piled high — Argentinian Red Shrimp (no heads, shells on) purchased in Italy

Easy Cajun Style Royal Red Shrimp Pasta Ingredients

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this spicy Cajun shrimp pasta. Buy the best shrimp that you can find and the rest is pretty simple. The success of this shrimp pasta depends squarely on the quality of the shrimp (as is pretty much always the case). Be sure to use the tips below for how to choose and buy the best seafood and get ready for a great homemade shrimp pasta.

6 Royal Red Shrimp, deveined with shell-on (or other wild-caught sustainable shrimp)
4 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine pasta (115g)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (separated into two equal portions) (30g)
1/2 teaspoon liquid Concentrated Zatarain’s Shrimp & Crab Boil, or to taste (3g)
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or more to taste (2g)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste (5g)
kosher salt to taste
cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

vintage aluminum 1/2 teaspoon holding Zatarain's Liquid Crab Boil

Nordic Ware red 1/2 teaspoon with Old Bay Seasoning in it

Piet Mondrian style wall art with red, blue, yello, black and white stripes, blocks and figures painted on a building in front of an apartment building — Piet Mondrian style wall art, Italy

How to Make Cajun Style Royal Red Shrimp Pasta in 15 Minutes

This restaurant-quality shrimp pasta is ready in 15 minutes or less making it perfect for a delicious busy weeknight dinner, special occasion date nights, or dinner parties.

Boil the water. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Cook the shrimp. While the water is heating up, melt the butter in a skillet on medium-high heat, add the Zatarain’s Crab & Shrimp Boil liquid and Old Bay Seasoning, and stir to combine. Add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp in the butter mixture being sure to coat them well and continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute more, or until they turn pink and mostly opaque, and turn off the heat.
Cook the pasta. Add the spaghetti (or linguine) to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to the packaged directions.
Add the noodles to the sauce. When your pasta is just cooked through, strain the noodles reserving approximately 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Add the strained noodles directly to the skillet with the shrimp and turn the heat back on to medium-high. Add the olive oil and about 1/4 cup (60g) of the starchy pasta water to create a loose (but not watery) sauce and continue stirring and tossing everything really well with tongs to combine and coat the noodles in the smooth silky sauce.
Finish the pasta. As soon as you reach the perfect sauce consistency (a matter of just a few seconds), remove the skillet from the heat and add in the last two tablespoons of butter, toss to coat, and serve immediately, Enjoy!

*If you want to cook the shrimp without the shells, use this delicious 4-Minute Pan-Seared Argentinian Red Shrimp Recipe as a guide for perfectly pan-seared shrimp every time.

Looking for More Easy Shrimp Recipes?

a pile of bright reddish orange pan-seared Argentinian Red Shrimp

a shallow platter with perfectly cooked tender shrimp scampi with butter and olive oil, sliced scallions and parsley

shrimp pasta in red sauce piled high on top of triangular spaghetti noodles in a white pasta bowl

closeup of garganelli egg pasta noodles in a shrimp and tomato sauce

the most delicious creamy shrimp alfredo pasta ready to eat with huge red Argentinian shrimp on top of a zigzag regional egg pasta

shrimp gratin baked up with a cheesy crispy crust on top of seasoned shrimp in a scallop shell

grilling shrimp on a cast iron grill pan

pan seared shrimp in a pan full of creamy tomato alfredo

single fried shrimp with masking tape on the cutting board in front of it with black sharpied "Semolina" written on it

Plump crystal shrimp dumplings drizzled with homemade sichuan chili oil.

a cast iron skillet filled with Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Marsala Sauce

shrimp and vegetable stir-fry in lobster sauce

closeup of singapore noodles on an oval platter with the sunlight hitting it

A 16 inch wok filled with a rainbow-colored pasta salad filled with meat, vegetables, pickles, and so much more.

a pasta bowl plate filled lemongrass prawn risotto w/shallots and three pan-seared Argentinian red shrimp on top and speckled with green scallions

An oval serving platter with Yangzhou House special fried rice filled with shrimp, chicken, ham, egg, and vegetables.

Here are a few of our all-time favorite shrimp recipes to get dinner on the table quickly!

More about Gulf Coast Royal Red Shrimp and the Red Shrimp Varieties

Let’s talk about Gulf Coast shrimp for a second — they’re unequivocally tender, sweet, buttery, fatty, and satisfying to eat. Occasionally they can be pretty naturally salty (and sometimes not so much), so you must adjust the salinity of the cooking water and seasonings you’re working with accordingly.

No matter the natural saltiness, they’re still always sweeter than lobster and more tender. In fact, they’re the most tender species of the shrimp family because they have more fat than other varieties of shrimp.

These shrimp live in (and are caught in) very deep cold waters in just a few locations around the world. These conditions are what give them this beautiful buttery lobster-like texture and their unique flavor. They even cook a bit quicker than other types of shrimp making them a perfect candidate for cooking yummy bowls of this shrimp pasta on the fly♡.

Additionally, these prized shrimp require a permit issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to catch them. If you don’t have access to these sweet seasonal shrimp, substitute Argentinian Reds, or Italian Gambero Rosso varieties.

clarified shrimp butter with shrimp heads still in it

Sustainability in Shrimping

I like to know where my seafood is coming from and if it’s sustainable before I buy. I’ll always pay more for sustainably wild-caught shrimp because it allows me to help support the livelihoods and family-owned businesses of hardworking men and women. These are the guys and gals who care about the oceans and our precious waterways ensuring there will be enough shrimp and seafood for us to eat in the future. Buying local helps ensure these generational businesses and their communities survive and hopefully thrive.

Cajun Style Royal Red Shrimp Pasta Tips & Tricks

If you decide to remove the shells from the shrimp before cooking them, use this delicious 4-minute pan-seared Argentinian Red shrimp recipe.
Save shrimp shells/heads to make shrimp butter (see above photo). Simply sauté shrimp shells with unsalted butter until it imparts a nice reddish color and full shrimp flavor. This can be stored in the refrigerator and used on garlic toasted french bread, or bruschetta, to butter your favorite breakfast sandwich, in sweet summer seafood corn chowder, or to top your favorite pan-seared or grilled steak. with a little imagination, the applications are endless.
Double this recipe. Ensure you use the appropriate size skillet for the shrimp so they can all be cooked in one single layer and not thrown on top of one another.
If you only have a small skillet, simply add the butter and seasonings to it and cook the shrimp in separate batches. It will take just a few minutes longer.
Substitute pan-seared sea scallops for all (or some) of the shrimp.
Substitute extra virgin olive oil if you’re averse to using butter or have health issues that keep you from using it. It won’t taste quite the same, but it’ll still be great.
Royal Red Shrimp’s scientific name is pleoticus robustus native to the Gulf Coast, the Keys, and even Connecticut.
Royal Red shrimp are sweeter, fattier, and more tender than any other variety of shrimp.
Royal Reds are fished (or rather, shrimped) out of very deep water (1200-2400ft (365m-731m) which makes them more labor-intensive and can also make them more dangerous to catch.

Let’s get started!