Easy Cajun Shrimp Recipe
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This Cajun shrimp recipe is so darn good you’ll be tempted to lick your plate clean! I keep it in my back pocket for busy nights when time is tight – but it’s also fancy enough to wow guests while entertaining. I’ll show you how to whip up this bold, delicious dinner in just 15 minutes.
Shrimp has always been a big part of my life, thanks to summers spent with a little fishing boat and prawn traps. Because of that, I have a soft spot for really good shrimp recipes, and this Cajun shrimp is easily one of my all-time favorites. It’s bold, smoky, and unbelievably flavorful — and somehow ready in just 15 minutes.
This is the kind of dinner that proves fast food can still be exciting. The Cajun seasoning delivers big flavor, making it feel special enough for guests while still being easy enough for a busy weeknight. I love how flexible it is, too — I’ll serve it over rice, toss it with pasta, or pair it with corn or whatever else I have on hand. Fair warning: seconds are almost guaranteed.
Another Cajun-influenced recipe I think you might enjoy is my blackened salmon in creamy Cajun sauce.
Key Ingredients for Cajun shrimp
Cajun shrimp sounds a wee bit fancy – so you might think it has a complicated ingredients list. It’s actually made with all familiar ingredients. Gather these items:
- Shrimp: The star of the show! You want your shrimp to be peeled and deveined.
- Cajun seasoning: Grab a pre-made mix, or make your own. It’s really easy and uses spice rack staples.
- Veggies: Green bell peppers and shallots add some texture and taste.
- Other staples: Olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, chili flakes, tomato paste, and chicken or vegetable stock.
Make your own Cajun seasoning
You can use a store-bought Cajun spice blend if you have one on hand – otherwise, making your own is super simple, and you likely already have the spices you need. This is what you need:
- 3 tablespoons of paprika.
- 2 tablespoons of onion powder and garlic powder.
- 1 tablespoon of thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- And if you like it spicy, you can add cayenne pepper to taste.
Check out my post on making your own Cajun seasoning for more info!
What to serve with Cajun shrimp
My favorite way to enjoy this is dish with some rice and veggies – it’s delicious! I usually make some cauliflower rice. Regular basmati rice works, too. Roasted broccoli or sauteed green beans are nice vegetable pairings.
Or make it a Cajun shrimp pasta by serving over pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for here, you can ask it in the comments below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Can I store cooked shrimp?
You can—storage is easy! Once your Cajun shrimp recipe cools to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to three months. If you’ve frozen the shrimp, thaw them in the refrigerator the day before you want to eat them.
How to reheat shrimp?
I reheat my Cajun shrimp in the skillet. I drizzle olive oil or butter into the skillet, then toss in the shrimp, reheating gently until they’re hot to the touch. Enjoy!
Easy Cajun Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- A pinch of chili flakes
- 2 medium green bell peppers (diced small)
- 2 small shallots (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
- Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss with the Cajun seasoning, olive oil, salt, and chili flakes. Set aside to marinate while you prep the veggies.1 ½ lb shrimp, 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt, A pinch of chili flakes
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sear for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and shallots to the pan then cook for 2 more minutes.2 medium green bell peppers, 2 small shallots
- Lower the heat to medium and push the shrimp and veggies to the side of the pan. Add the tomato paste and let it caramelize for 2-3 minutes, or until it darkens and smells sweet.2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add the stock to the pan and stir everything together, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck-on flavorful bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper.½ cup chicken or vegetable stock, Sea salt and pepper
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I’ve commented on this recipe before, but it’s seriously so great, it deserves a second 5-star review from me. I made it again tonight for the first time in a while. Normally I serve it with mashed potatoes, but tonight I made cauliflower rice with it and it was just as good. A great alternative when trying to cut carbs! Thanks, again, for this easy and delicious recipe. I love it!
Such a lovely, tasty simple sauce. Absolutely great for a day you just don’t have it in you to cook, but you still have to eat. Thank you so much.
Really good. I’d use a little less than the recommended amount salt, but otherwise it’s spot on. I added a bit of canned corn at the end and thought it came out nicely.
Corn sounds like a great addition!
How do I email this recipe to myself. I am already getting emails from you but did not get this one
If you click the print button in the recipe you’ll be able to save a pdf copy to your computer and email it that way. 🙂
I stumbled on this because, frankly, I was searching for a shrimp recipe I could tolerate. It didn’t even have to be great. Just decent. See, I’m not a big fan of seafood, but my husband loves it. On the nights we have cod and shrimp, he cooks, and I choke it down. He loves his one single recipe for cooking cod and shrimp, and it just doesn’t pass the test for me. Anyway, since it’s just the two of us, we only cook about 6 ounces of shrimp instead of a pound and a half. The first time I made this recipe, I adjusted it to account for such a small amount of shrimp. When I made it again this week, I used the full amount of seasoning and brushed some of it on two pieces of cod which I cooked separately. And all I can say is BRAVO! This is so much better than the decent and tolerable recipe I was looking for. I CRAVE it! Never have I ever had such good seafood at home! The first time I made it, I was sure I did something wrong because it really is so fast and easy, but I clearly hadn’t missed any steps because it was an explosion of incredible flavors. Everything about this recipe is so perfect. Even the shallots were a great choice. When I couldn’t find shallots in the past, I subbed regular onions. I considered it this time even though my local store had shallots available, but I decided to follow the recipe exactly and use them. The sweetness of them combined with the spicy Cajun seasoning is just incredible. I’m so thrilled to have found a seafood recipe my husband and I both like. Thank you so much for this!
This is such a great comment! Thank you so much for coming back to let us know. It makes me so happy to hear that you’ve found a shrimp recipe you love!
Made this tonight , quick, easy and loads of flavor. My daughter doesn’t care for spicy foods , but couldn’t quit eating it…lol..love it !!!
That’s so great to hear! Hooray!