Best Cajun Shrimp Recipe with Southern Flavors
If you’re craving southern flavors, Cajun shrimp recipe brings them straight to your kitchen and dining table. A creamy shrimp in a spicy, zesty mixture saying it all! This dish will provide you with a delicious blend of spice, taste, and simplicity. Note our words, ‘You’ll want it over and over again!’
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You won’t regret cooking this Cajun shrimp dish. It is simple to prepare and to remember. Besides, it’ll make a great meal at dinner or a simple get-together. With only a few ingredients and simple processes, taking a short span, you will get to the dining table with what you have to offer.
Ingredients You Need for Cajun Shrimp
In Cajun shrimp recipe, getting the ingredients is a no rocket science. You’ll find each of them easily at home or at the store nearby. So, here’s what you need!
- Shrimp – 1 pound.
- A good Cajun seasoning blend – it can include paprika, oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and thyme. The quantity of all of these combined goes from 1 to 2 tablespoon, completely depending on your spice tolerance and preference.
- Butter – 2 tablespoons
- Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
- Cilantro – 2 tablespoons, fresh and chopped
In case you are wondering ‘what’s next’, take the shrimp, butter, Cajun seasoning, garlic, and cilantro to get it prepared. With less ingredients, simple directions are coming ahead! Sounds easy already, doesn’t it? That is all the list that makes this recipe easy to follow, as well as overloaded with the southern flavor.
Making of Cajun Shrimp Recipe
If you ask about a recipe with the easiest cooking process, we would say Cajun shrimp recipe! With the following simple and easy steps, you can make a perfect dish in no time.
- Start by melting butter. You’ll be needing a hot skillet for that. Keep the heat medium to high, when melting the butter.
- Add minced garlic and sauté it. Do it properly, until you feel a fragrance. For that, it normally takes around 30 seconds, not more.
- Get the shrimp to cook! As you put the shrimp into skillet, ensure adding Cajun seasoning too. Stir them altogether nicely.
- Cook each side of the shrimp for about 2 to 3 minutes. Once it’s pink and opaque, get the next step done.
- The Final step is adding cilantro! Adding it in the end gives Cajun Shrimp a fresh and juicy touch.
Serve it hot and fresh. The dish will taste heavenly, leaving all your guests, family, friends, partner, or anyone you’ve invited, impressed!
Cajun Shrimp Recipe Variations
It’s not important that you go with the only classic Cajun shrimp recipe. There’s a number of variation which you can consider according to your mood!
- In case you are in the mood of a smoky flavor, sprinkle a pinch of smoked paprika as well as the Cajun seasoning – this enhances the taste of the dish. Also, it creates a slight barbecue flavor that is not overwhelming.
- The other variation is a splash of lemon or lime juice at the end which gives it a burst of citrus flavor but works well with the spice. It works best when you need a combination of refreshing and spicy meal.
- The next variation is creamy! Add a tablespoon of heavy cream to coat the shrimp with a rich sauce in the end.
Cajun shrimp with pasta or rice is another variation. It will be a meal that completely satisfies your appetite!
Serving Ideas for Cajun Shrimp
Cajun shrimp is delicious when made over a bed of fluffy white rice or when it is eaten with warm crusty bread to absorb all the buttery spice. As Cajun shrimp is combined with pasta, it becomes more delightful. So, you can go with the Cajun Shrimp Pasta recipe too! Also, fresh green salad or roasted vegetables as sidelines never go out of trend.
Making it more of a luxurious supper, put the shrimp on top of hot mashed potatoes or creamy grits – the spice becomes prominent in the dull comfort of the other sidelines. Another way to serving Cajun shrimp is presenting it with fresh vegetables. It can be in tacos or wraps. Thus, Cajun dishes with shrimp will always be a richer option, be it dinner or a carefree weekend feast.
Tips for Making the Best Cajun Shrimp
We’ve got you some tips for the best Cajun Shrimp recipe! For your information, the following tips do not only go with this particular recipe. You can always come back to these, even when you are caught up with any other recipe, such as Cajun shrimp and grits recipe.
- Always place well a thawed shrimp (when it is frozen) on a towel to dry it, in order to combine it with the spices and for cooking.
- Another one is to heat the skillet properly before adding the butter to melt.
- Do not cook shrimp for too long! As soon as it’s pink and curled up into a loose C shape, get it off the flame. Or else, overcooking will make it tough and chewy.
Serve and eat it fresh and warm! Juicy shrimps will taste the best, whereas the old ones are always the worst.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Storing and reheating a meal can be dangerous for health. So, here are some instructions for you. It’ll inform you about the safe ways to store and reheat your food.
- Wondering about storing a cooked shrimp, so you can have it later? It’s possible, but after storing it safely! Refrigerate the shrimp in an airtight container. It will last as long as 2 days, and retain a good deal of its taste and texture.
- For the reheating process, put the shrimp in a low-heat skillet until warmed. Besides, reheating it in a little butter or a spritz of olive oil will help bring back the juiciness which had been lost.
- Also, when you’re reheating, do not use the microwave! It tends to make the shrimp rubbery.
Got any leftovers from the Cajun Shrimp? Keep your apprehensions aside! You can save it for the other day. Also, now, you know how to present it fresh and juicy, just as it was on the day one!
More Seafood Recipes to Try at Red Crab
If you liked this Cajun shrimp recipe, we suggest you should try some of the other recipes by the seafood places like Red Crab too! Such as, you can go for the Cajun Gumbo Recipe and Cajun Crab Boil Recipe. Their recipes make every step easy with the taste that’s full of flavor! Thus, the recipes are worth considering whether you are preparing on your own or among your friends.
As a lighter healthier version, we can make you learn the best Cajun Seafood Appetizers and Cajun fries to make at home as well. It would be a healthy meal with natural and fresh flavors, made rapidly. Just in case you want comfort food, you can always have creamy seafood pasta with a touch of spice. It’s a warm, comforting meal that can be enjoyed any night of the week!
frequently asked questions
How to make cajun shrimp?
The Cajun shrimp can be prepared by sautéing shrimp in butter, garlic, and thoroughly covering them with Cajun spice. You must cook it until the shrimp is pink. Garnish with fresh cilantro. It is fast, delicious and ideal meal to have any day.
What is the best seasoning for a Cajun shrimp recipe?
Coming to the best Cajun seasoning for Cajun shrimp recipe, it’s paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne and black pepper. It will give a smoky, spicy, and savory flavor, making the shrimp taste classic Southern.
Can I make a Cajun shrimp recipe without butter?
You can make Cajun shrimp without butter. Take olive oil or avocado oil as an alternative, it would be efficient in sautéing and marinating the shrimp. It’s just that you will end up making the dish a little bit lighter. You will still have that spicy Cajun taste.
Is Cajun shrimp spicy?
Cajun shrimp is hot due to seasoning that it contains. It takes in cayenne pepper and other spices that are intense. But, the spice can be moderated by lowering the cayenne use or through a mild Cajun mixture. One can easily manage the amount of spice, making the dish tasty and authentic to its Southern origins.
What type of shrimp is best for Cajun dishes?
Big fresh shrimp or extra-large goes well with the Cajun dishes. It keeps more seasoning, and can be evenly cooked. Fresh shrimp is better as it tastes good, but frozen, deveined shrimp can also be very convenient. Simply thaw and dry it off and then cook.
Conclusion
Cajun shrimp recipe makes up a great savory meal, bringing the southern dishes’ spice and savour on your table. This meal is impossible to resist with shrimp that is covered in spicy flavors, rich butter, and aromatic garlic. This recipe is easy to execute and gives the best result.
But, if you are in a mood to rest, instead of searching for ‘seafood near me’, join us at the Red Crab Juicy Seafood. We specialize in Cajun-style seafood. And, with an exclusive seafood menu, we offer the best and authentic seafood dishes. Besides making you feel welcomed, we ensure making your experience hassle free and memorable!