This easy spicy shrimp and sausage pasta red sauce is inspired by both Cajun and Mexican cuisine. It has a deep and complex flavor from smoked paprika, smoked Andouille sausages and chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
- The Andouille sausage is hearty and smoky and the shrimp add great contrast with their light, sea-salty flavor.
- Both the sausage and the shrimp are cut into bite-sized pieces in this recipe so you get either meat or seafood in every bite. And because there is shrimp and sausage you don't get the same thing in every bite. That adds a lot of complexity and makes for a really satisfying meal.
Ingredients and notes:
What's makes this sauce special are the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce that I added in addition to the traditional cajun flavors. The smokiness and tang of the chipotle adds complexity and gives the sauce a rich and even slightly earthy flavor.
Full Recipe
Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Red Sauce
This spicy shrimp and sausage pasta red sauce is full of deep, smoky flavor and quick and easy to make.
Equipment:
Ingredients:
Method:
- Cook the pasta to desired doneness, drain, cover and set aside.8 ounces uncooked pasta*
- Meanwhile prepare the meat and the vegetables: Cut the shrimp into bite-sized chunks. Cut the sausage into half moon pieces. Remove the seeds and ribs (the white membranes) from the jalapeno pepper, then finely dice the pepper and the onion. Mince or press the garlic clove. Set aside.3 ounces raw shrimp**, thawed, peeled and deveined, 6 ounces pre-cooked smoked Andouille sausage, 1 large jalapeno pepper***, ¼ of a medium-sized yellow onion (about 2 ounces), 1 garlic clove
- Heat the oil in a nonstick pan, then cook the shrimp and the sausage until the shrimp are cooked and the sausage is starting to brown (about 4 minutes). Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon.2 teaspoons mild olive oil
- Add onion and jalapeno pepper to the pan and saute until starting to soften (about 3 minutes). (There should be enough fat in the pan from the previous step, so you don't need to add any.)
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Stir in the paprika, then the chicken broth, canned crushed tomato, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, thyme and tomato paste.¼ teaspoon smoked hot paprika, ½ cup chicken broth, 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (about 9 ounces), 1 teaspoon finely diced canned chipotle pepper (about ½ a small chipotle pepper), 1 teaspoon canned adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers), ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Add the shrimp and sausage back in and bring to a simmer.
- Turn the heat off, stir in the cream and serve with the pasta. Sprinkle with fresh thyme (optional).2 tablespoons heavy cream
Recipe notes:
*You can use long pasta (like spaghetti or linguine) or short-cut pasta (like penne or rigatoni).
**You can use any size shrimp because you'll cut the shrimp into bite-sized chunks. I recommend to get uncooked shrimp for best flavor.
***If jalapeno is not available, you can substitute ¼ green bell pepper.
Storage: Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. (Don't store sauce and pasta together because the pasta will soak the moisture out of the sauce and dry it out.)
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Nutrition (estimate only):
More delicious red sauces for pasta:
- Bacon and Chorizo Pasta Sauce30 Minutes
- Jerk Shrimp Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce45 Minutes
- Frozen Meatball Stuffed Shells1 Hours
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