Description
How to make creamy spicy Cajun sausage pasta with bell peppers and rich sauce that transforms busy weeknight dinners into comfort food magic.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1 lb Andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Creamy Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Cajun Seasonings
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- Brown Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage and cook until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add onion and bell peppers. Cook until tender and slightly caramelized, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Build Sauce: Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add Cajun seasoning, paprika, cayenne, and thyme. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits.
- Add Cream: Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in heavy cream, stirring constantly. Let simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine Everything: Return sausage to skillet and add drained pasta. Toss everything together, adding pasta water if needed for consistency. Remove from heat.
- Finish Dish: Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let rest 2 minutes for sauce to thicken before serving hot.
Notes
- Don’t let the cream boil or it will curdle and ruin the smooth sauce texture.
- Reserve pasta water before draining – it’s essential for adjusting sauce consistency.
- Taste before adding salt since Cajun seasoning and sausage are already quite salty.
- Brown the sausage well for deeper, more complex flavors throughout the dish.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 3 days in airtight containers.
- Add extra broth when reheating to restore the creamy sauce consistency.
Allergy Information: Dairy, Gluten
Nutrition
- Calories: 485 calories
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Protein: 22g