Zydeco Pasta Recipe

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the penne and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 10–12 minutes). Reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Prepare shrimp and crawfish

While pasta cooks, pat shrimp dry and season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. If using both proteins, keep proportion above. Set crawfish tails at room temperature (they're already cooked).

After making the sauce (next section), add shrimp to the simmering sauce and cook 2–3 minutes until just pink and opaque. Stir in crawfish tails and heat through for 1–2 minutes. Do not overcook crawfish.

Toss cooked penne into the sauce with 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen, cook together 1–2 minutes so pasta coats evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Sauté the soffritto

In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the diced onion, green pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Build the base

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle 1.5 tablespoons flour over vegetables and stir to coat; cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.

Add liquids and seasonings

Gradually whisk in 1.5 cups chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping any browned bits. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1.5 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Simmer gently until slightly thickened, 4–6 minutes.

Finish the sauce

Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more Cajun seasoning or hot sauce for heat. Keep sauce at a gentle simmer, then proceed to add proteins and pasta as instructed in the Pasta & Protein section.

Make batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped onion. In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk with 1 lightly beaten egg. Combine wet into dry and mix until just combined; batter should be thick but spoonable. If too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon extra buttermilk.

Heat oil and fry

Pour 2 cups vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer and heat to 350°F (175°C). Working in batches, drop tablespoon-sized scoops of batter into the oil, frying 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) while frying remaining hush puppies.

Serve hush puppies

Serve 4–6 hush puppies per serving alongside the pasta. Optionally sprinkle a little flaky salt on the hot hush puppies.

Combine pasta and sauce as directed. If sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Plate the penne coated in Cajun cream sauce topped with shrimp and crawfish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional), chopped green onions and additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately with hush puppies on the side.