Creamy Cajun Pasta

4.95 from 17 votes

An easy, one-pot recipe for Cajun pasta that comes together in less than 30 minutes with andouille sausage, peppers, onions, pasta, and a creamy, spicy sauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

12 ounces smoked andouille sausage sliced into ½ inch pieces
½ tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup diced onion
⅓ cup diced bell pepper about 1 large pepper, or 3 mini peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 ounces diced tomatoes
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
10 ounces rotini pasta
4 ounces cream cheese softened

Instructions

In a large stock pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in sausage, peppers, and onions and saute until the onions begin to soften for about 3-5 minutes.
Add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.
Add in stock, diced tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning and bring to a boil.
Add in pasta, reduce heat to simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and add in cream cheese and stir into pasta. Cook until cream cheese has melted and pasta has finished cooking for about 5 minutes.
Serve.

Video

Notes

Broth/Stock: I use chicken stock in this dish, but vegetable broth or beef stock works as well. Be sure to use low-sodium broth to control the level of sodium.

For the Cajun Seasoning, use 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

To Use Chicken instead of Sausage: In place of the andouille sausage, saute cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs and cook the recipe as directed.

To control the spice level: Choose mild andouille sausage or cubed chicken over traditional spicy andouille. Use ½ tablespoon of Cajun seasoning in place of the full tablespoon, or omit the cayenne pepper

If you want to make Gluten-Free Cajun Pasta, use Barilla Gluten Free Elbow Noodles.

Leftovers: If you have leftover pasta, allow it to cool and then store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. To reheat the pasta, you may need to add a splash of stock or water to keep the pasta from drying out. I don't recommend freezing this dish due to the cream cheese.

Nutrition