Quick Cajun Style Shrimps For A Weeknight Dinner
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Weeknights call for a quick and super easy dinner. An ideal quick meal is nutritious, well balanced, delicious, and of course, quick enough to prepare. Now meal prep is the best way to go, but I understand very well how some nights, all you want to eat is something fresh, hot and sizzling, right off the stove top.
If you’re like me who love shrimp (What wine goes well with shrimp?) and easy dinner, then try out this this quick Cajun style shrimp recipe that is perfect for the whole family on a busy weeknight. The recipe has a short cook time and is loaded with healthy, crunchy vegetables like bell peppers, baby corn, baby carrotss and asparagus (how long does asparagus last?). Any stir fry vegetable would work wonderfully here so go ahead and let your fridge do the talking.
Hero of the Dish - The Shrimp
For this Cajun shrimp recipe, jumbo shrimp or extra-large shrimp will work best. Shrimp can reduce to more than half of its size once cooked, so measure out the numbers of prawns and number of people who will be eating. Make sure you have enough for everyone. The shrimp need to be cleaned, peeled and deveined.
To devein the shrimp, simply slit the outer curve of the body, along the entire length. The trick is not to go too deep or you risk rupturing the poo shoot. Once slit, you can easily pull it out in its entirety. Give the shrimp a quick wash and toss it aside.
How Long Do I Cook the Shrimp?
Shrimp cooks ridiculously fast. It goes from underdone to over in a matter of seconds. You have to stop at that point where it is just turning from that translucent raw shade to the pink hue of perfectly cooked shrimp. The secret to achieve this is to watch it like a hawk.
Add your deveined shrimp after your vegetables are done and emptied from the sauce pan. Pour a tablespoon of oil to a pan that is hot and steamy. Add the shrimp in one layer and cook for two minutes on each side. Remember that the shrimp continue to cook once they're taken off the heat.
The Cajun Seasoning Mix
The spice is homemade Cajun seasoning, which I make in a bigger batch beforehand. The essence of the amazing flavor of this Cajun shrimp recipe is in the Cajun seasonings and it couldn’t be simpler to make. Roasting the spices brings out the aromatic oils and adds a depth to the flavors of the dish by layering in the warm and toasty taste. There is no need of any special equipment for dry roasting or spices, simply heat them on the same pan you will be cooking the shrimp in. Be careful not to put way too much seasoning as it could quickly become too spicy. Toss and turn the spice mix to make sure it doesn't burn. In all, it should take about 3 minutes. This easy recipe makes four servings, but you can always double to suit your quantity.
1 teaspoon dried thyme (how long does dried thyme last?)
Two teaspoons smoked paprika (how long does smoked paprika last?)
¼ spoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder (how long does onion powder last?)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder (how long does garlic powder last?)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
What Sides Can I Have With the Cajun Shrimp
There are several side dishes you can serve with this easy Cajun shrimp recipe! In our home we love to:
Have Cajun shrimp over a bed of brown rice (how long does rice last?), couscous (how long does couscous last?) or quinoa *(how long does quinoa last?)
Serve a Cajun shrimp pasta
Have the Cajun shrimp with some flat breads or pita
Have Cajun shrimp with a fresh green salad
As Cajun shrimp Tacos or burritos
What You Will Need
1-11/2 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 tablespoons extra Virgin olive oil (or melted butter for a richer flavor)
1 Cup onion, chopped
One-inch knob of ginger, chopped
Two cloves garlic, minced
1 Bell pepper, roughly chopped
6-8 baby carrots
8 baby corn
A bunch of asparagus
A bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt (how long does kosher salt last?) to taste
Optional: chopped andouille sausage
Method of Preparation
Marinate the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning, chopped ginger, minced garlic and lemon juice for atleast 20 minutes.
In a large skillet or any large pan, dry roast Cajun seasoning spices in medium high heat and keep aside.
In the same pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté onion, bell peppers, baby carrots, corn, asparagus, and sausage in medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Once done, transfer them to a bowl.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Once heated, add marinated raw shrimp in a single layer.
Stir shrimp. Cook for two minutes on each side, until pink.
Add the stir-fried vegetables, sausage, and the lemon juice (for additional vitamin c) and toss until combined.
Garnish the Cajun shrimp with cilantro or fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
And there you have it: one of our favorite easy shrimp recipes, Cajun style shrimps. It's low-carb, keto approved, absolutely delicious, and so easy to make with few ingredients and a quick prep time. Plus, this great recipe is pretty spicy (though you can tweak the spice level if you like), so it's perfect for those of us that like to eat shrimp with a little kick to it. The entire family will enjoy this one! What else are you waiting for? Make Cajun shrimp now!
