Creamy Cajun Seafood Pasta Bake

Ingredients

Seafood

• 1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 cup crawfish tails

• 1 cup lump crab meat

Pasta

• 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti or linguine

Cooking base

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

Sauce

• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained (or 2 fresh tomatoes)

• 1 cup seafood stock (or chicken broth)

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese

Seasonings

• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning (optional)

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Cheese

• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella

• ½ cup grated Parmesan

Finishing

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions.
Drain and set aside.

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2. Cook the shrimp

Heat butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Season shrimp lightly with Cajun seasoning and cook for 2–3 minutes per side until pink.

Remove shrimp and set aside.

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3. Sauté vegetables

Add remaining olive oil to the same pan.

Sauté:

• onion

• garlic

• red bell pepper

• green bell pepper

Cook 3–4 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes and cook another 2 minutes.

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4. Make the creamy Cajun sauce

Add to the skillet:

• seafood stock

• heavy cream

• cream cheese

Stir until the cream cheese melts.

Season with:

• Cajun seasoning

• smoked paprika

• black pepper

• Old Bay

• Italian seasoning

• red pepper flakes

Simmer 5–7 minutes until slightly thick.

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5. Add the seafood

Add to the sauce:

• cooked shrimp

• crawfish tails

• crab meat

Stir gently and cook 2 minutes.

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6. Combine pasta and cheese

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.

Mix in:

• ½ cup mozzarella

• ¼ cup Parmesan

Stir until everything is well coated.

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7. Bake

Transfer pasta mixture to a greased baking dish or aluminum tray.

Top with:

• remaining mozzarella

• remaining Parmesan

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden.

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8. Finish and serve

Remove from oven.

Top with:

• fresh parsley

• lemon juice

Serve hot.

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🍤 Pro Tips

• Use linguine for a more restaurant-style texture.

• If you want it extra creamy, add ¼ cup more heavy cream.

• For more heat, increase Cajun seasoning.