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. And the recipe comes together in just 30 minutes!
If you like Cajun-inspired food you might also enjoy this Cajun marinade for chicken!
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.
Sauce ingredients and notes:
- Andouille sausage is sold raw and pre-cooked and I recommend pre-cooked for this recipe.
- 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 pepper is not available you can substitute ¼ green bell pepper.
How to make it:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, prep vegetables, sausage and shrimp.
Step 2. Brown sausage and shrimp.
Step 3. Saute vegetables.
Step 4. Add spices, tomato and chicken broth.
Step 5. Add sausage and shrimp back to the sauce, then bring to a simmer.
Step 6. Stir in cream.
How spicy is this sauce?
This sauce is quite spicy. The chipotle chili, the adobo sauce and the smoked hot paprika powder all pack quite a bit of heat.
How to serve it:
Serve the sauce with long- or short-cut pasta. You can also serve it with rice. It tastes delicious that way as well.
How to store leftovers:
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 the sauce along with pasta because the pasta will soak the moisture out of the sauce and dry it out.)
More delicious red sauces for pasta:
- Bacon and Chorizo Pasta Sauce30 Minutes
- Jerk Shrimp Pasta45 Minutes
- Frozen Meatball Stuffed Shells1 Hours
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it in the comments below! Thanks!
Full Printable Recipe
Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Red Sauce
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- pot
- colander
- garlic press (optional)
- nonstick pan or cast iron pan
- slotted spoon
- wooden spoon
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta*
- 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
- 2 teaspoons mild olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon smoked hot paprika powder
- 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
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- fresh thyme as garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta to desired doneness, then drain, cover and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the meat and the vegetables: Cut shrimp into bite-sized chunks. Cut sausage into half moon pieces. Remove ribs and seeds from jalapeno pepper, then finely dice jalapeno pepper and onion. Mince or press garlic clove. Set aside.
- 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.
- 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 powder, then the chicken broth, canned crushed tomato, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, thyme and 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).
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