Cajun Shrimp And Sausage

Buttery, spicy, lemony, luscious Cajun shrimp and sausage in less than 20 minutes! This makes an easy keto one-pan skillet dinner and is a great family-friendly dish.

Why Should You Try This Delicious Shrimp and Sausage Recipe?

Low Carb . One carb per serving.
High Protein . An incredible 20 grams of protein per serving.
Fast. Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes .
Easy. Just find a skillet , pour and cook .

Why I Love Cajun Shrimp and Sausage

I love Cajun food for a lot of reasons, but the three main reasons I love it are:

The food is spicy, which is a huge plus for me
It is very protein rich
A lot of Cajun cuisine is CRAZY easy to make

However, Cajun food also tends to use a lot of rice, pasta and beans, which is a huge no-go for those of use living a low carb lifestyle. The good news is that it tends to be so protein rich that you can just omit the carby ingredients all together and still have a complete and keto friendly meal.

So when I got a craving for some Cajun Shrimp and Sausage, all I really needed to do to make it keto friendly was to leave out the pasta, and voila! I had a complete meal that wasn’t going to ruin my carb intake for the next week.

Is Shrimp And Sausage Family Friendly?

So some of your family may not be so keen on omitting all of the carbs, namely and kiddos you might be feeding. But no worries, all you have to do is cook the carby ingredients separately and serve the family the Cajun Shrimp and Sausage on top of pasta, rice, etc.

How To Make Cajun Shrimp and Sausage

Heat a 11 inch skillet on medium heat.

Side view of ingredients in bowls set next to a pan that is preheating. - 6

Let the butter melt and then stir in the garlic, paprika, lemon pepper and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.

Overhead shot of adding seasonings to melted butter in a hot pan. - 7

Add in sausage, and stir to coat the sausage with the butter. Add shrimp and stir well.

Overhead shot of stirring the shrimp and sausage. - 8

Cook for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp has cooked through.

Side shot of cooking shrimp and sausage in a pan. - 9

Add in hot sauce and lemon juice, and serve hot.

Watch The Video

Tips And Tricks For Making Shrimp And Sausage

Add a table spoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the butter to keep the butter from burning. Keep the pan on low medium heat as well when melting the butter too keep it from browning.
You can bring the heat up back to a medium heat once you’ve added the shrimp and sausage to the pan.
Make sure to be constantly mixing the shrimp and sausage in the butter to baste it as much as you can while it is cooking. The butter really lends a lot of flavor to the dish.
There is enough flavor in the dish to leave out the hot sauce if you’re not a fan of the heat or if you’re cooking for little ones.
Don’t add the lemon juice or the hot sauce until the dish is almost done. You lose a lot of the acidity if you add them too early.
You can use either smoked paprika or regular paprika, whichever you have on hand.
Use my Homemade Cajun Spice Mix instead of store bought spices! Using a homemade spice mix really makes a world of difference in how it tastes!
You can use opt to use frozen shrimp, but you need to defrost them a little bit before cooking them with the sausage. Just set them in some warm tap water while you gather the other ingredients together and you’re good to go.
The dish doesn’t freeze well, but refrigerates quite nicely. You can make some extra for the next day and the flavors actual meld even more in the fridge over night.

Shrimp and Sausage Variations

There are lots of things you can add to this dish to make it family-friendly or just to mix it up a bit. Here are just a view ideas to get you started:

You can opt to boil the recipe with pasta to make Shrimp and Sausage Pasta. I’d suggest a smaller pasta like rotini. This way your family can have the pasta dish while you enjoy the keto-friendly version.
You can make some plain rice to serve with the Cajun Shrimp and Rice for the family.
Steamed broccoli makes a fantastic addition to the dish. You can also just serve steamed broccoli to the side if you prefer it without the Cajun seasoning.
You can also add cauliflower, bok choy, green beans or really any vegetable that you’d like.
You can also use spicy Italian sausage for a change of pace.
You can sub scallops for shrimp if you’d prefer.
If you aren’t a fan of seafood you can use chicken instead. Just use chicken tenders and cut them into bite-sized pieces so that they will cook quickly.

Other Shrimp Recipes To Try

Looking for more delicious Cajun dishes? Check out my Instant Pot Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Boil ! This delectable Cajun dish is done in less than 30 minutes in your Instant Pot.
Air Fried Salt and Pepper Shrimp is another crazy easy shrimp recipe that you can make in your air fryer.
Keto Shrimp Scampi is another simple and delicious dish you can make in your air fryer.
Bang Bang Shrimp is a sweet, spicy and tangy shrimp dish that is just as fun to eat as it is to say!
This Air Fryer Shrimp Fried Rice is easily made in the Air Fryer in about 30 minutes!
This low carb Shrimp with Cotija and Tomatillos recipe is a flavorful and quick dish that’s full of southwest flavor and is super easy to make!
This Keto Shrimp And Grits gives you all that savory goodness you expect from a southern classic without all the carbs!
This Easy Shrimp Scampi is low carb, fast, and so easy.

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage

Equipment

Measuring Spoons
12 inch Skillet

Ingredients

▢ 1/2 pound extra large shrimp
▢ 1/2 pound smoked sausages , sliced on the bias
▢ 4 tablespoons Butter
▢ 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
▢ 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
▢ 1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
▢ 1/8 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
▢ 3-5 shakes Louisiana Hot Sauce
▢ 1/2 Lemon , juiced

Instructions

Heat a 11 inch skillet on medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add butter. Let the butter melt and then stir in the garlic, paprika, lemon pepper and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.
Add in sausage, and stir to coat the sausage with the butter. Add shrimp and stir well.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp has cooked through.
Add in hot sauce and lemon juice, and serve hot.

Watch The Video

Tips And Tricks For Making Cajun Shrimp And Sausage

Add a table spoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the butter to keep the butter from burning. Keep the pan on low medium heat as well when melting the butter too keep it from browning.
You can bring the heat up back to a medium heat once you’ve added the shrimp and sausage to the pan.
Make sure to be constantly mixing the shrimp and sausage in the butter to baste it as much as you can while it is cooking. The butter really lends a lot of flavor to the dish.
There is enough flavor in the dish to leave out the hot sauce if you’re not a fan of the heat or if you’re cooking for little ones.
Don’t add the lemon juice or the hot sauce until the dish is almost done. You lose a lot of the acidity if you add them too early.
You can use either smoked paprika or regular paprika, whichever you have on hand.
Use my Homemade Cajun Spice Mix instead of store bought spices! Using a homemade spice mix really makes a world of difference in how it tastes!
You can use opt to use frozen shrimp, but you need to defrost them a little bit before cooking them with the sausage. Just set them in some warm tap water while you gather the other ingredients together and you’re good to go.
The dish doesn’t freeze well, but refrigerates quite nicely. You can make some extra for the next day and the flavors actual meld even more in the fridge over night.

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Variations

You can opt to boil the recipe with pasta to make Shrimp and Sausage Pasta. I’d suggest a smaller pasta like rotini. This way your family can have the pasta dish while you enjoy the keto friendly version.
You can make some plain rice to serve with the Cajun Shrimp and Rice for the family.
Steamed broccoli makes a fantastic addition to the dish. You can also just serve steamed broccoli to the side if you prefer it without the Cajun seasoning.
You can also add cauliflower, bok choy, green beans or really any vegetable that you’d like.
You can also use spicy Italian sausage for a change of pace.
You can sub scallops for shrimp if you’d prefer.
If you aren’t a fan of seafood you can use chicken instead. Just use chicken tenders and cut them into bite sized pieces so that the will cook quickly.

Get support & connect with our community on Facebook!

Nutrition

Originally Published September 16, 2019

Don’t forget to check out my other Ketocookbooks.

Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats , and Easy keto in 30 minutes.

If you already signed up, you should have received an email with a password to give you unlimited access to our FREE Printable Library. The password is case sensitive. Enter it below and get printing!

Password:

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage

Ingredients

1/2 pound extra large shrimp
1/2 pound smoked sausages sliced on the bias
4 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/8 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
3-5 shakes Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/2 Lemon juiced

Instructions

Heat a 11 inch skillet on medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add butter. Let the butter melt and then stir in the garlic, paprika, lemon pepper and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.
Add in sausage, and stir to coat the sausage with the butter. Add shrimp and stir well.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp has cooked through.
Add in hot sauce and lemon juice, and serve hot.

Tips And Tricks For Making Cajun Shrimp And Sausage

Add a table spoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the butter to keep the butter from burning. Keep the pan on low medium heat as well when melting the butter too keep it from browning.
You can bring the heat up back to a medium heat once you’ve added the shrimp and sausage to the pan.
Make sure to be constantly mixing the shrimp and sausage in the butter to baste it as much as you can while it is cooking. The butter really lends a lot of flavor to the dish.
There is enough flavor in the dish to leave out the hot sauce if you’re not a fan of the heat or if you’re cooking for little ones.
Don’t add the lemon juice or the hot sauce until the dish is almost done. You lose a lot of the acidity if you add them too early.
You can use either smoked paprika or regular paprika, whichever you have on hand.
Use my Homemade Cajun Spice Mix instead of store bought spices! Using a homemade spice mix really makes a world of difference in how it tastes!
You can use opt to use frozen shrimp, but you need to defrost them a little bit before cooking them with the sausage. Just set them in some warm tap water while you gather the other ingredients together and you’re good to go.
The dish doesn’t freeze well, but refrigerates quite nicely. You can make some extra for the next day and the flavors actual meld even more in the fridge over night.

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Variations

You can opt to boil the recipe with pasta to make Shrimp and Sausage Pasta. I’d suggest a smaller pasta like rotini. This way your family can have the pasta dish while you enjoy the keto friendly version.
You can make some plain rice to serve with the Cajun Shrimp and Rice for the family.
Steamed broccoli makes a fantastic addition to the dish. You can also just serve steamed broccoli to the side if you prefer it without the Cajun seasoning.
You can also add cauliflower, bok choy, green beans or really any vegetable that you’d like.
You can also use spicy Italian sausage for a change of pace.
You can sub scallops for shrimp if you’d prefer.
If you aren’t a fan of seafood you can use chicken instead. Just use chicken tenders and cut them into bite sized pieces so that the will cook quickly.

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage https://twosleevers.com/cajun-shrimp-and-sausage/

Whether you’re living low carb, gluten-free, or simply looking for a fresh and flavorful bowl recipe packed with protein and color, this keto-friendly bún thịt nướng delivers all the satisfaction of the original with none of the guilt.

Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong may not be something you’ve ever heard of, but you’ll be so glad you found this recipe! It’s a low carb version of a classic Vietnamese cold noodle dish with crispy Vietnamese grilled caramelized pork strips, cold rice noodles, fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts. The traditional dish is heavy in carbs, so I decided to make a Keto version in my Air Fryer!

Why You’re Going To Love This Dish

Low Carb. Only 3 net carbs per serving.
Fast. Less than 30 minutes of cook time.
Easy. Prep your ingredients, marinade, and air fry. Just a few easy steps for a delightfully delicious dish.

What is Bun Thit Nuong In English?

Every time we go to a Vietnamese restaurant, what I really want is the bun thit nuong. That crispy, slightly sweet pork, the peanuts, the cucumbers! But restaurants give you LOTS Of noodles—and not as much meat. Which is yummy, but not exactly low carb. So I decided to make my own Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong.

Bun refers to the noodles, thit nuong is barbecued meat.

Is It High in Calories?

While you would think something this full of flavor would be high in calories, you would be wrong. With a little over 230 calories per serving, you can enjoy this dish virtually free of guilt.

Low in carbs AND low in calories. What more could you ask for?

Ingredients You’ll Need

1/4 cup Onions - These onions add aromatic sweetness and depth to the marinade. As they cook, they help tenderize the pork and infuse the meat with subtle savory flavor.
2 tablespoons Oil - Oil coats the pork and helps the marinade cling to the meat. It also promotes browning and caramelization during cooking, giving the pork its signature smoky–crispy edges.
1 tablespoon Splenda - Splenda provides sweetness without the carbs, balancing the salty and savory elements of the marinade.
2 teaspoons Dark Soy Sauce - Dark soy sauce adds color, umami richness, and deeper savory notes to the marinade. It gives the pork that characteristic deep, caramelized finish when grilled or air-fried.
1 tablespoon Minced Garlic - Garlic delivers bold aroma and flavor, infusing the pork with warm, savory complexity that complements the sweetness from Splenda and saltiness from fish sauce.
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce - Fish sauce is essential for authentic Vietnamese flavor. It provides salty, savory depth and enhances the overall umami profile of the marinade without overpowering the dish.
1 tablespoon Minced Lemongrass Paste - Lemongrass brings bright citrusy notes to the pork, cutting through richness and adding a fresh, fragrant flavor that makes bún thịt nướng so distinctive.
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper - Pepper adds gentle heat and warmth, rounding out the marinade with mild spice and enhancing the aroma of lemongrass and garlic.
1 pound Thinly Sliced Pork Shoulder - This is the centerpiece of the dish. It’s rich, juicy, and perfect for high-heat cooking. The marbling in pork shoulder allows it to caramelize beautifully while staying tender and flavorful.
1/4 cup Crushed Roasted Peanuts - Peanuts add crunch and nuttiness, contrasting with the tender pork and fresh vegetables. They’re a classic finishing element that adds richness and texture to each bite.
2 tablespoons Chopped Cilantro - Cilantro brings freshness, fragrance, and brightness to the final bowl. It cuts through the richness of the pork and balances the overall flavor. Parsley can be used as a milder alternative.

How To Cook Bun Thit Nuong

The air fryer is perfect for Thit Nuong because you’re looking at fairly thin slices of pork that need to crisp up at the edges. You can marinate this ahead of time if you like, and cook it just before you’re ready to eat.

Combine onions, sugar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, fish sauce, lemongrass, and pepper.
Thinly slice the pork shoulder.
Let the pork marinate.
Add the marinated pork to the air fryer basket.
Air fry for 10 minutes, flipping half way through the cooking cycle.
Place cooked pork on a serving tray and sprinkle with roasted peanuts and cilantro or parsley.

Tips and Tricks

This recipe is incredibly simple (as most of our recipes are) but for an even better first experience making this dish, check out these tips and tricks:

Cut pork strips thin so they crisp easily in your Air Fryer.
For the most flavor, marinate your pork for up to 24 hours.
You can omit Lemongrass paste if it is not available at your grocery store.

Variations

Sometimes a simple twist in protein or toppings can transform this dish into something new and exciting while still preserving its classic Vietnamese balance of sweet, salty, smoky, and herbal flavors.

Swap Pork for Chicken or Beef . Use thin-sliced chicken thighs or flank steak marinated the same way as the pork. Both caramelize beautifully on high heat and offer a leaner alternative.
Make a Shrimp Version . Toss shrimp in the same marinade and grill just 2-3 minutes per side. It cooks quickly and pairs beautifully with fresh herbs and nuoc cham.
Use Tofu for a Vegetarian Option . Press firm tofu, slice into slabs, and marinate before grilling or air frying. It soaks up flavor wonderfully—perfect for a veggie-forward bowl.

What Do You Serve With It?

Typically, you’d serve this with:

Cold rice noodles (omit noodles or use zucchini noodles for low carb!) Yes, that’s right. Warm pork on top of cold noodles makes for a tasty and unexpected bite.
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped roasted peanuts
Fresh mint
Quick-pickled cucumbers and carrots
Fish sauce poured over the top

How Long Does It Last?

For the best flavor and texture, I would suggest eating this Keto Bun Thit Nuong within 3-4 days after cooking it. The beauty of this dish is that it reheats wonderfully, and the flavor continues to develop even after it is cooked.

Can You Freeze It?

Yes, you can freeze low-carb Bún Thịt Nướng, but with a few considerations. The marinated and cooked pork freezes well for up to 2–3 months and reheats nicely without losing too much flavor or tenderness.

However, the fresh vegetables, herbs, and pickled components should not be frozen, as they will wilt, soften, and lose their crispness once thawed.

More Air Fryer Recipes

A Bowl of Sesame Ginger Crispy Broccoli. - 21

AIR FRYER SESAME GINGER BROCCOLI - A low carb broccoli side dish that is bursting with Asian Flavor.
SALADE NIÃ§OISE - A salad of cooked vegetables and tuna.
GERMAN ROULADEN - A crispy flank steak roll, with all of the flavors of a classic rouladen, but not the hours-long braise times.

Vietnamese grilled pork thit nuong overhead view - 22

If you’re looking for more adventurous ways to use your Air Fryer, this Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong recipe will delight your tastebuds. If you’re simply looking for a new delicious low carb recipe this should be at the top of your list.