Description
Zesty blackened shrimp dance over spiraled cavatappi pasta, creating a spicy Southern-inspired masterpiece. Caribbean-style seasonings and smoky charred edges make this dish irresistible for lovers of bold, complex flavors you’ll devour with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (454 g) large shrimp, raw, deveined, tail removed
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cavatappi noodles, cooked al dente
- 1 can (15 ounces/425 g) sweet corn, drained
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup (238 g) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup (57.5 g) sour cream
- ½ cup (50 g) parmesan cheese, grated
- Green onion, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Submerge cavatappi pasta into a generously salted pot of boiling water, cooking for 8-9 minutes until achieving an al dente texture. Carefully drain the noodles and reserve for later assembly.
- Liberally coat raw shrimp with blackened seasoning, ensuring an even distribution of spices across each seafood morsel.
- Melt unsalted butter in a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature, creating a golden cooking surface. Arrange seasoned shrimp in a single layer, allowing each piece to develop a rich caramelized exterior. Cook approximately 4-6 minutes, rotating midway to guarantee uniform preparation. Relocate perfectly cooked shrimp to a separate plate.
- Reduce skillet temperature to medium and introduce heavy cream. Gently simmer the liquid, methodically scraping accumulated browned fragments from the pan’s surface to intensify flavor profiles.
- Lower heat to minimal setting, then incorporate tomato paste, tangy sour cream, and finely grated parmesan cheese. Whisk continuously until cheese dissolves completely, creating a velvety, uniform sauce.
- Incorporate cooked cavatappi, seared shrimp, and sweet corn kernels into the creamy mixture. Thoroughly toss ingredients to ensure comprehensive coating with sauce.
- Garnish with freshly chopped green onions, serving immediately to preserve optimal temperature and texture.
Notes
- Quick meal packed with bold flavors that comes together in just 20 minutes.
- Blackened seasoning transforms ordinary shrimp into a spicy, restaurant-quality centerpiece.
- Heavy cream and parmesan create a luxuriously rich sauce that clings perfectly to cavatappi pasta.
- Sweet corn adds unexpected bursts of freshness and subtle sweetness to balance the spicy shrimp.
- One-skillet technique minimizes cleanup and allows layers of flavor to develop naturally.
- Serve immediately for the best texture, as the creamy sauce can thicken quickly when cooling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 640 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 24 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 320 mg