My Cajun sausage pasta explodes with a uniquely captivating mix of south Louisiana flavors and textures, y'all!! Chopped trinity veggies, garlic, and sliced sausage brown down in the skillet for optimal base flavor effect. Then, they're stirred into a simple yet highly complex homemade sauce before being tossed with piping hot pasta. The whole thing comes together fast and easy and fills up four hangry-turned-happy people. Yep and yay...
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It's Flavor-Heavy Fantastic, Y'all...
Cajun sausage pasta features south Louisiana-style browned veggie base flavors in a light, broth-based sauce enlivened with herby, sweet, and smoky notes.
This dish is incredibly flavorful, filling, and comforting, y'all. However, it is not one of the traditional Cajun dishes, such as gumbo or shrimp stew. No, it's a modernized Cajun-inspired pasta meal-in-one that infuses distinctive regional flavors into each addictive bite. One that's truly unforgettable and so amazingly flavorful that you can make it for family dinners, holidays, and birthday celebrations. Indeed.
Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
- While I used my favorite beef sausage, you can certainly use andouille sausage for this recipe. Honestly, any good sausage will work. Just use one that's spiced but not too hot or it may drown out the other flavors in the dish.
- The chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic create the base flavors of this Cajun sausage pasta. No cream or cheese is used. So, these veggies are crucial to the development of the flavors in this dish. Try to use them all. But, if you can't, then at least include two of the four or you'll truly miss out on the intended flavors of this recipe.
- I love and use Colgin liquid smoke. It pairs perfectly with the honey, hot sauce, parsley flakes, and paprika flavors in the broth-based sauce. This ingredient is super important, and this Cajun sausage pasta will NOT taste the same without it.
- Penne pasta is the perfect shape for this recipe. It helps to create a stunning visual presentation of the finished dish. It also holds the sauce well and provides the hearty comfort food feel that leaves you feeling totally satisfied after you eat. That said, you can substitute any shape of pasta that you have on hand and still wind up with a very tasty meal.
Top Cajun Sausage Pasta Recipe Tips
Take the time to make sure that the Cajun trinity veggies are browned properly. If they are not, the texture will be very off and the taste will be lacking. If you're pressed for time, cover the browning veggies partially with a lid to speed up the cooking process.
Resist the temptation to add more pasta to the dish. Since I created this recipe back in 2017, I've made it dozens of times over the years. So, I can say with full confidence that the sauce to meat to veggies ratio in the recipe is optimal. Adding more pasta to it thins out the sauce, which makes the entire batch of Cajun sausage pasta dry and much less appetizing. Therefore, double the recipe completely if you need more pasta. But, don't change the ratios or it will not work out well for you.
Storage
Cover and store the leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Don't try to freeze them, though. The texture of the thawed pasta usually isn't the same, and you will likely end up throwing all of it away.
How to Make Cajun Sausage Pasta
Start by boiling water and cooking the pasta according to the package directions.
Next, pour the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery into the skillet with butter or oil.
Now, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
When the raw veggies begin to brown, add the chopped jarred roasted red peppers to the pan.
Add the sausage to the pan, and cook until browned. Then, stir the minced garlic into the mixture and cook for one additional minute.
Reduce the heat, then stir the sauce into the skillet.
Then, simmer until done. Fold the pasta into the sauce about a handful at a time, coating the pasta completely with the sauce before adding more pasta to the skillet.
And that's it, y'all!!
This Cajun sausage pasta hooks you from the very first bite. The veggies are scrumptiously soft and earthy. And the sauce hits your tongue on all of its happy places with a warm, feisty flair.
The sausage is browned perfectly. So, each charred bit here and there is a welcome surprise featuring deep, rich tones that warm your soul.
And the pasta, y'all, the pasta! Every piece is just swollen enough with flavor to make the stick-to-your-ribs portion of the meal a memorable feast. For sure.
Share this Cajun sausage pasta with those who renew your spirit with wit, charm, and strategically timed diversions. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
More Scrumptious Cajun Pasta Recipes
If you love this Cajun sausage pasta, you'll likely want to bookmark these other south Louisiana-inspired pasta dishes for later.
NOTE: This post was originally published on July 19, 2017, and was updated and republished on June 13, 2024.
Cajun Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
For the Cajun Sausage Pasta
- 8 ounces penne pasta I used Jovial gluten free
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 teaspoons oil I used Bertolli cooking olive oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 raw celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 12 ounces sausage, sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
For the Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth Swanson is gluten free
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce I love and use Crystal
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke I use Colgin all natural mesquite
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
- Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, brown the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery in the butter and oil in a skillet or pot set atop medium-high heat.
- When the veggies are almost browned, stir the roasted red peppers and sliced sausage into the mixture.
- Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sausage is browned.
- Stir the garlic into the mixture and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium low.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet, and stir until well-incorporated.
- Cover the skillet partially with a lid, and continue cooking for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and reduces by about one-third.
- Remove the skillet from heat.
- Gently stir the cooked pasta into the skillet in batches, making sure that each batch is coated with the sauce before adding more pasta to the pan.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.Nutrition
Check out my ebook at this link for a collection of some of my blog's best Cajun and Creole recipes.
Ellen Riley says
Very tasty and quick to prepare. Will definitely make this again soon.
Lyn Corinne Liner says
Awesome, thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out for you!