Description
A quick and easy one-pot dish featuring creamy pasta with bold Cajun flavors, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound smoked sausage or andouille, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep first: slice the sausage, dice the onion and bell pepper, and measure spices and liquids.
- In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage for 3–4 minutes until crusty, then set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté diced onion and bell pepper for 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika, and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in chicken broth, add dry pasta, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until pasta is just shy of al dente (8–10 minutes).
- Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and butter. Return sausage to pot and simmer for 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens and pasta is tender.
- Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
Use low-sodium broth for better control of salt. Let butter soften for a silkier finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg