Cajun Seafood Pasta Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. If shrimp are large, butterfly or halve lengthwise. Season shrimp, crawfish and scallops lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; set aside.

Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Garlic toast

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Mix 4 tbsp softened butter with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp chopped parsley and 1 tsp salt. Spread on sliced baguette and place on a baking sheet. Bake 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp. Keep warm.

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When hot and shimmering, add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–1½ minutes per side until pink and just opaque. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Add scallops to the same pan (add a touch more oil if needed) and sear 1–1½ minutes per side until golden; transfer to plate. Finally, add crawfish tails just to warm through, about 1 minute. Do not overcook any seafood. Set all seafood aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tbsp butter to the skillet. Add diced onion, green pepper and celery (the 'holy trinity') and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5–7 minutes.

Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon tomato paste; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and cook 1 minute to remove raw flavor.

Deglaze the pan with 1 tbsp dry white wine (optional), scraping up browned bits. Add 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking to dissolve roux.

Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp lemon juice, remaining 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp crushed red pepper. Simmer gently 3–5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

Whisk in 1 cup grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper as needed. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, 2–4 tbsp at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding additional reserved pasta water as necessary to create a silky coating.

Return cooked shrimp, scallops and warmed crawfish to the pan and gently fold them into the pasta and sauce. Heat together 1–2 minutes to combine and ensure seafood is warmed through but not overcooked.

Stir in 2 tbsp chopped parsley and 2 tbsp sliced green onions. Adjust final seasoning with salt, pepper or an extra pinch of Cajun seasoning to taste.

Serve immediately with garlic toast on the side and lemon wedges for squeezing over. Garnish each plate with extra parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.