This spicy, tangy, creamy pasta might just be the best thing you ever eat! It’s loaded with flavor and super easy to make!
I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it! (Can you guess which song?) But seriously, guys, I literally had a dream about this dish, I envisioned exactly what it would look like, I seemed to enjoy it in my dream, so when I woke up, I really wanted it, so I made it! This Cajun Mushroom Linguine is SO DELICIOUS, I promise you’ll be licking the remaining sauce right off the plate and still want more. My husband, who doesn’t even like mushrooms, couldn’t stop himself from taking extra helpings, it was THAT good. I honestly don’t know why I was craving this cajun spice flavor, but after eating this, it left me wondering why I had never done this before! It’s a wholesome dish of creamy, flavorful goodness that will take your tastebuds on an island vacation and back.
The key to making this dish perfect is using butter, of course, but also making sure you give the mushrooms the time it needs to cook down and brown up nicely. This helps the flavors of the mushrooms to release and also adds to the flavoring of the sauce. White mushrooms are the best for this dish because they are mild in flavor and as you sauté them, the flavor begins to intensify and really molds well with the sauce. Cooking the cajun spice with the mushrooms and onions also helps to coat them evenly and toast the spice a little bit before adding in your cream. As soon as you add the cajun spice and cream, your kitchen will be filled with a scent you never knew you needed in your life and I bet everyone at home will be anxiously wondering what lovely piece of paradise you’re cooking up!
Here are some tips to help enhance the dish:
- Use fresh parsley, I promise, it makes a difference in flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can opt in for dried parsley
- I used the McCormick Gourmet brand cajun seasoning for this dish
- For my non-vegetarian friends, adding some shrimp or chicken to this dish would be absolutely amazing, I would just preseason your protein with some cajun seasoning as well
- Don’t forget the pasta water! The starch from the pasta water will help bind the sauce to the pasta while cooking
I hope you guys are ready to be mind-blown with this dish! Give it a try and enjoy! As always, don’t forget to tag me in your stories so I can see all your wonderful re-creations!
Cajun Mushroom Linguine
Ingredients
- 1/2 box linguine
- 2.5 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup white onions chopped
- 5-6 white mushrooms sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese shredded
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
- pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil your pasta in a large pot with salted water and cook pasta 1 minute less than the box instructions
- While the pasta is boiling, take a large pan and heat 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Once the butter has mostly melted, add in your onions and cook them just until they start to become translucent
- Add in your garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so followed by the remaining .5 tbsp of butter and allow it to melt
- Add in your sliced mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and cook those down until they start to brown and start to reduce in size, around 5 minutes
- Then add in your cajun seasoning and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms and onions are evenly coated in the seasoning. Once the mushrooms are fully cooked down, deglaze your pot with the 1.5 cups of heavy cream and stir everything together and bring to a simmer
- At this point, your pasta should be boiled. Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water and add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the cajun mushroom sauce and continue to let it simmer for 2-3 more minutes
- Drain the rest of the pasta and add it to the sauce and mix thoroughly so the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Add in the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water to help the sauce stick to the pasta and cook on low for another 2 minutes. As it continues to cook the sauce will reduce slightly to give you the perfect consistency
- Add your shredded pecorino romano cheese and fresh parsley, reserving some of both for garnish, and mix it into the pasta
- Garnish with the remaining cheese, fresh parsley, and some pepper and serve hot!
Notes
- Serve with a side of garlic bread
- If you don’t have fresh parsley, you can use dried, but fresh parsley gives it a better taste
- You can substitute the linguine for any type of pasta as this sauce is very versatile
