This 30-minute cajun sausage pasta meal is not only easy and affordable, but it's also delicious! This one pot pasta dish features andouille sausage, cheese, and tomatoes in a rich cajun sauce. Imagine a pasta dish so delicious - it will make your mouth water just by reading about its goodness.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
This cajun sausage pasta recipe is a great way to use up pantry ingredients. You'll only need 25 minutes of cooking time and one skillet, which means it's easy for any home chef!
The delicious flavors of spicy andouille sausage with Cajun seasoning, tomato, melty parmesan cheese in a cream sauce will make you forget about anything else but eating this yummy dinner tonight.
This fabulous Cajun sausage pasta recipe is a snap to make and costs only pennies per serving. It's perfect for feeding the family on limited budgets or if you want great food without breaking your bank!
This dish is a mouth-watering mix of fragrant spices, succulent meaty flavor, and cooked pasta in a creamy cheese sauce.
This cajun-style sausage pasta is not your average, run-of-the-mill dish! The flavors are bold and rich with a kick to them that you can't find anywhere else. Creamy Cajun sausage pasta is an innovative and delicious dish made with the perfect balance of spices.
🍽 Key Ingredients
This authentic Cajun sausage pasta recipe is delicious and easy that you can enjoy any time of day with key ingredients.
The pasta sauce - Our delicious Cajun pasta sauce is made with chicken broth, heavy cream, and tomato paste.
Sausage - We use Cajun-style Andouille sausage for this dish which has a rich flavor that goes perfectly well together with the other ingredients
Vegetables - We're using garlic and onion to saute with sausage.
Cheese - The cheese in this recipe is added at the end to enhance the creamy texture with shredded Parmesan cheese mixed in and mozzarella cheese on top.
Pasta - Ziti is a small tubular-shaped pasta similar to penne pasta that goes with creamy sauces and meat dishes to absorb the flavors in the holes of the pasta.
Substitutions
Cheese
A good substitution for mozzarella cheese is Monterey jack or cheddar cheese for its melting qualities.
Meat
If you can't find the andouille Cajun Italian sausage, you can substitute it for Spanish chorizo, typically a smoked sausage with spices similar to the Italian sausage.
Pasta
You can substitute ziti pasta for nearly all tubular-shaped pasta where the delicious creamy sauce can get trapped in the center like rigatoni, mostaccioli, or penne.
Additions
- Herbs - chopped parsley
- Spices - cajun seasoning blends, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika
- Vegetables - diced tomatoes and bell peppers
🔪 How to make
This creamy Cajun sausage pasta recipe is easy to make in less than half an hour with lots of spicy flavors and a creamy pasta sauce. Learn how to make with my step-by-step instructions and helpful cooking tips.
Preparations
- Chop the andouille sausage into pieces and then finely dice the onion and garlic.
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Heat the olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and the andouille sausage, and sauté until lightly brown.
Step 2
Stir in tomato paste, heavy cream, and chicken broth until the sauce is smooth.
Step 3
Add the pasta and bring to a boil.
Step 4
Cover and simmer until the pasta is cooked about 15-18 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
Step 5
Top with mozzarella cheese & optional parsley, then place the lid on top and let it thicken for about 5 minutes. Optionally, you can place the pan under a low broiler for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.
💭 Cooking tips
Keep your eye on the pasta.
You don't want to overcook the pasta, or it will be too soft and slightly mushy. Keep checking it with a fork after 10 minutes so that it is al dente.
📖 Recipe variations
This Cajun sausage pasta dish has been a long-time favorite of mine, and it's not surprising that there are many different variations to this recipe.
Cajun chicken pasta
Swap the Cajun-style andouille sausage for 2 chicken breasts and marinate them with a teaspoon of olive oil and Cajun seasoning. Chop the chicken into pieces and sauté with the onion and garlic.
Cajun sausage pasta with cream cheese
If you want even more cheese, you can substitute the heavy cream for 1 package of cream cheese and mix it in with the tomato paste and chicken broth.
Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta
A common addition to this Cajun sausage pasta is shrimps. Shrimps add another layer of flavor that balances well with the cream and Cajun spice. Mix 1 cup of peeled shrimps with a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and add them to the dish once the pasta is cooked for 5 minutes.
🥗 What to serve with
Creamy Cajun sausage pasta is an amazing dish that you can enjoy any time of day. It's perfect for when friends come over to watch the game or if your family wants something different than their usual meal! I recommend serving it with garlic bread, veggies, or a salad.
Veggies
Add some garden vegetables to your table with a selection of steamed veggies or if you have some asparagus in the fridge, try this crunchy sautéed asparagus recipe with almonds or my longhorn brussel sprouts recipe would also pair great with this easy pasta.
Bread
One of the best things about this dish is creamy Cajun sauce, which is perfect for mopping up with a slice of bread - and you could make your own with this traditional white loaf recipe, or go garlicky and spread some garlic butter on top.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
Can you use milk instead of cream in pasta?
Yes, you can substitute the cream for milk or use half and half. I recommend using full-fat milk for a creamier texture.
Can you cook the pasta before making the sauce?
Yes, you can pre-boil the pasta until al dente and mix it in the Cajun sausage sauce at the end. Although, the pasta will taste better cooked in the creamy sauce to absorb the flavors.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
Creamy Cajun sausage pasta is easy to store once cooled and tastes even better eaten the day reheated.
Fridge - You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. This cajun pasta i s perfect for pre- meal.
Freezer - Transfer the leftover Cajun pasta to a freezer container or a freezer bag, and keep it frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Reheating - Place the leftover creamy Cajun sausage pasta in a skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the contents are thoroughly heated. Alternatively, you can microwave the leftovers at 1-minute intervals until piping hot.
🍳 Related pasta recipes
If you like this cajun sausage pasta recipe then you should try one of these pasta recipes in your next meal.
👪 Serving size
This Cajun sausage pasta recipe will yield 4-6 generous servings, or you can scale it to cater to more guests. These Cajun-style sausages are a delicious addition to any meal, and with the creamy sauce, it's irresistible.
This pasta dish is not only tasty but also very easy and quick to prepare, which makes it perfect for those busy nights when you don't have time or energy!
📋 Recipe
Cheesy Cajun Sausage Pasta (One Pot)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon dried minced onion - or 1 whole onion diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 Andouille Sausage - one 12 oz package
- 1-½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz uncooked ziti pasta
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup mozzarella - or monterey jack or cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon parsley - optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onions, garlic and sausage and saute until lightly brown.
- Stir in tomato paste, heavy cream and chicken broth and stir until smooth.
- Add pasta and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer until pasta is cooked about 15-18 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese then remove from heat.
- Top with mozzarella cheese & optional parsley, replace lid and let thicken for about 5 minutes.
- Optionally you can place the pan under a low broiler for 3 minutes or so to brown the cheese.
Brooke
This recipe is so good! I traveled over 12 hours from CA to VA yesterday and needed something one pot to cook for my family. I only had ground Italian sausage but was still awesome. Can’t wait to try it with andouille next time!