Yummy shrimp and spicy creamy Alfredo sauce tossed with linguini (or your choice of pasta) in this copycat Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Linguini Alfredo. This is a dead ringer for this amazing restaurant dish without having to leave your house - or your yoga pants.
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Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Linguini Alfredo
This is my favorite dish from Red Lobster. I haven't even bothered getting anything else...for like...the last 20 years. We love who we love. Over those 20 years, I have also become a master at making it at home and that's why we're making it today; you need to know how to make this too!
EXACTLY THE SAME AS RED LOBSTER BUT BETTER:
- You control the size of the shrimp. They use small shrimp, about a handful. You can toss in extra large shrimp, as many as you want. I like a higher shrimp to pasta ratio.
- More cajun please. Every time we go, I ask for them to put extra cajun seasoning. Sometimes they skimp; maybe they're afraid it's too spicy, that is wrong. Give me all the spicy. No skimping at home.
- More dinner, less money. This dinner was so much less money than going to the actual restaurant. This dish is usually $16.99 or more and I made enough for my family of four for around $12.99; less if I can get a deal on shrimp.
How To Make Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Linguini Alfredo
What Goes In Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Linguini Alfredo
Here's what you need to make the most delicious copycat Red Lobster dish. Simple ingredients that come together to make this family friendly or date night ready.
- Shrimp: Fresh or frozen work fine. Thaw the frozen shrimp completely before using in this recipe.
- Butter: Only regular butter works here. Margarine doesn't work the same for making the creamy béchamel sauce.
- Flour: You will need all purpose flour to thicken the sauce.
- Milk: I used whole milk, but any variation of milk will work. Using skim milk will affect the creaminess.
- Cream: If needed, you can skip the cream and use an equal amount of milk.
- Cajun Seasoning: I use ...brand. Most any cajun seasoning will be fine.
- Parmesan Cheese: don't skip this ingredient, this turns it from a regular Alfredo into a parmesan Alfredo and makes a big difference in taste.
- Pasta: No need to use special pasta. Red Lobster uses linguini, but I only had spaghetti noodles. You can use fettuccine, linguini, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta.
- Melt butter over medium/medium-high heat and then whisk in flour, allow the flour to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk + cream mixture very slowly until all of the mixture is used.
- Stir in cajun seasoning, parmesan cheese, and uncooked shrimp. Allow to come to a simmer until shrimp is cooked through, less than 10 minutes.
- Stir in cooked pasta in batches.
This is a dead ringer for the restaurant version but with more shrimp and less cash.
SERVE THIS SPICY CREAMY CAJUN SHRIMP ALFREDO WITH:
- Garlic Blue Cheese Wedge Salad
- Old Fashioned Southern Green Beans
- Asiago Roasted Asparagus
- Mini Strawberry Jam Pies
- Double Tree Hotel Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
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This recipe recently featured on BuzzFeed.com : "25 (Really Good) Spaghetti Recipes That Start With A Box Of Spaghetti".
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Red Lobster Cajun Shrimp Linguini Alfredo
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
Creamy, spicy, perfectly slurpy noodles and sauce with shrimp.
Ingredients
1 lb. shrimp, any size
3 Tbsp butter
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk*
1 cup heavy cream*
2 Tbsp cajun seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ cup parmesan cheese grated
1 lb. pasta of choice, cooked just shy of being done
Instructions
- In a large skillet melt butter over medium/medium-high heat.
- Whisk in flour and allow to cook for 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour about ½ cup of milk and cream mixture and whisk continuously.
- Once incorporated, add a little more and repeat whisking until all of the mixture is used.
- Reduce heat to medium and whisk in cajun seasoning and allow the sauce to bubble.
- Add the shrimp and allow to cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in parmesan cheese until thoroughly melted.
- Add cooked pasta into sauce (stir in batches) and allow to cook 3-4 minutes until pasta is warm and covered with sauce.
Notes
*combine milk and cream
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: red lobster copycat, cajun shrimp pasta, shrimp linguini alfredo, spicy alfredo sauce, red lobster cajun shimp linguini alfredo
Rachel says
Melt butter-at what temp? Add flour and cook-at what temp? Stir in milk-at what temp? Recipe sounds really good, but is not remotely complete
★★★★
Amy says
Hi Rachel, thank you for the comment. I have updated the recipe to reflect butter being melted on medium/medium-high heat. The flour should be added when the butter is melted, as written. Temp is reduced when milk/cream is added, as written.
Brett says
if you dont know how to melt butter to make a roux, id stick to an easier recipe
Amy says
Thank you Brett, I appreciate your truthful words today.
Shelley says
Very yummy!
★★★★★
Amy says
Thank you for trying the recipe!
Aubry says
Hey Rachel! Should the shrimp be cooked already or does it just cook completely with the roux?
Amy says
Hi Aubry! You will cook it in the sauce until it's done, stir in the cheese, and then toss the noodles with the sauce. Let everything just cook through for 3-4 more minutes. This is one of our favorite meals...so good. Let me know how it goes!