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This cajun sausage pasta has a bold and spicy flavor profile and is full of vibrant colors. The noodles and smoky andouille sausage are coated in a rich and creamy Cajun-inspired sauce.
Looking for more cajun recipes? Try one pot creamy cajun shrimp pasta, crispy air fryer shrimp, or this one pot creamy cajun chicken pasta recipe next time!
Cajun Sausage Pasta in Under 30 Minutes
Need an easy pasta recipe for dinner tonight? This dish is an easy meal that’s on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes. It’s a great choice for those busy weeknights.
The sauce is creamy, but not heavy, making this a comforting meal for every night of the week.
We love quick, easy pasta meals that make shopping and cleanup a breeze, but still have plenty of bold flavor the whole family loves.
Just like our creamy one pot buffalo chicken pasta, one pot taco pasta, or lemon chicken asparagus pasta.
How to Make Cajun Sausage Pasta
Here are the basic steps, with images, for this creamy cajun pasta recipe. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
Prepare pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, then before draining, remove a cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse it.
Cook sausage. Cook the sausage in olive oil with cajun seasoning until it’s crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer it to a clean bowl or cutting board.
Saute the onions and peppers. Saute the diced onions and peppers in the same skillet with a little more cajun seasoning. Add the garlic and until the veggies are soft and fragrant.
Make cream sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and tomato paste until smooth. Bring it to a gentle boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 5-7 minutes to thicken it slightly.
Combine and serve. Stir in the parmesan cheese, then add the cooked pasta and crispy sausage and toss to coat in the sauce. Add up to 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin the sauce slightly as needed. Serve this cajun sausage pasta right away with more parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
Recipe Variations
- Tone down the spice: Use a milder sausage, like kielbasa, less cajun seasoning, or omit the red pepper flakes to reach your desired spice level.
- Use a different type of pasta shape: Like penne, bow tie, or gemelli pasta.
- Switch up the sausage: You can use a different kind of sausage like plain smoked sausage, chicken sausage, Spanish chorizo, or even turkey sausage for this recipe.
- Add veggies: Toss in sliced mushrooms, or spinach for extra greens.
Freezing and Storing Tips
Allow the cajun sausage pasta to come to room temperature and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
If you make this spicy cajun pasta recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Pasta Dishes
- Boursin cheese pasta is a rich, creamy pasta packed with fresh herbs and spices.
- Garlic parmesan chicken pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner.
- Need a one pot meal? Try this one skillet lemon chicken orzo next time.
- One of my all-time favorite meals is one pot taco pasta.
Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta Recipe
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Ingredients
- 12-16 ounces short cut pasta (like penne) gluten-free if needed (Note 1)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon cajun seasoning divided (Note 2 Homemade)
- 1 (12 ounce) package andouille sausage sliced on the bias (Note 3 less spice)
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium bell peppers any color diced (I used red and green pepper)
- Pinch or red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it to al dente according to the package directions. When it’s done, remove a cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.
- While it’s cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet, like a 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and 2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning and cook to crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate or bowl.
- Turn the stove down to medium heat and add the onion and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of cajun seasoning, and a little bit of red pepper flakes to the same skillet and cook to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Whisk in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and tomato paste until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-7 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese then add the cooked pasta and crispy sausage and toss to coat in the sauce. Add up to 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water too thin the sauce slightly as needed. Serve right away with more parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good the whole family enjoyed . Instead of the cream I used coconut milk/cream and it made it so creamy and you can’t taste the coconut which is a win for the husband .
Thanks Caitlin! I’ve made it with coconut cream too! Love that you can’t taste it at all. I’ve also made it with cashew cream, too!
if was amazing!
Thanks, Haley!!
This pasta dish was so easy to make and it is sooo delicious I can’t believe how quick it was and the recipe is soo easy to follow
Love this, Jessica! Thank you!
Quite good! Easy, fast one pan meal!
Thanks, Larry!
Directions say add in the cream cheese but no where in the ingredients list do I see a mention of cream cheese. Kinda nervous to make this tomorrow without knowing.
Sorry for the delay! I tested this with and without cream cheese and forgot to take it out of the instructions when I set up the recipe. It should definitely work both ways, but I decided to leave it out to minimize the ingredient list. Updating this now. Thanks!