Cajun seasoning was actually invented in 1940s Louisiana by Acadian refugees who couldn't afford traditional French spices.
One Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta
Dive into a flavor explosion with this One Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta! Tender pasta dances in a rich, velvety sauce, complemented by zesty Cajun sausage and a hint of smoky paprika. Perfect for busy weeknights, this all-in-one dish brings bold Southern flair right to your dinner table!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 tsp pepper (5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 2-3 cups beef broth (480-720 ml)
- 1 lb cajun style sausage (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 3 oz cream cheese (85.1 g)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 8-10 oz pasta (227-284 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp cumin (2.5 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp onion powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp thyme (2.5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 14oz can of fire roasted tomatoes (397 g)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by heating some olive oil. Add in your sliced sausage. This is already cooked, but we just want to get it nice and crispy.
- 2
Remove the sausage and add a little more olive oil, onions, and peppers. Add about half of the homemade Cajun seasoning.
- 3
Add in your garlic and give it about 30 seconds.
- 4
Add in your fire roasted tomatoes and let that simmer for a few minutes.
- 5
Add your beef broth and dry pasta. Once most of that liquid's cooked off, add in your heavy cream and cream cheese.
- 6
Add your fresh parmesan and the sausage back into the pot.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear sliced sausage at medium-high heat (325-350°F pan surface) for 2-3 minutes per side to develop Maillard browning, which creates complex savory compounds that won't develop in the later braising step.technique325-350°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of beef broth to pasta by weight because one-pot pasta needs extra liquid to account for absorption and evaporation during the 12-15 minute cooking process.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Add cream cheese at exactly 180°F (when mixture stops bubbling vigorously) to prevent curdling, as dairy proteins coagulate above 185°F when combined with acidic tomatoes.timing180°F
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking liquid before adding cream because the dissolved starches act as a natural emulsifier, preventing sauce separation.technique1 cup
- ✓Bloom Cajun spices in the rendered sausage fat for 30-45 seconds until fragrant because fat-soluble compounds in paprika and cayenne need lipids to fully release their flavor molecules.timing30-45 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cajun seasoning was actually invented in 1940s Louisiana by Acadian refugees who couldn't afford traditional French spices.
One Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta
Dive into a flavor explosion with this One Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta! Tender pasta dances in a rich, velvety sauce, complemented by zesty Cajun sausage and a hint of smoky paprika. Perfect for busy weeknights, this all-in-one dish brings bold Southern flair right to your dinner table!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 tsp pepper (5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 2-3 cups beef broth (480-720 ml)
- 1 lb cajun style sausage (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 3 oz cream cheese (85.1 g)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 8-10 oz pasta (227-284 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp cumin (2.5 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp onion powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp thyme (2.5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 14oz can of fire roasted tomatoes (397 g)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by heating some olive oil. Add in your sliced sausage. This is already cooked, but we just want to get it nice and crispy.
- 2
Remove the sausage and add a little more olive oil, onions, and peppers. Add about half of the homemade Cajun seasoning.
- 3
Add in your garlic and give it about 30 seconds.
- 4
Add in your fire roasted tomatoes and let that simmer for a few minutes.
- 5
Add your beef broth and dry pasta. Once most of that liquid's cooked off, add in your heavy cream and cream cheese.
- 6
Add your fresh parmesan and the sausage back into the pot.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear sliced sausage at medium-high heat (325-350°F pan surface) for 2-3 minutes per side to develop Maillard browning, which creates complex savory compounds that won't develop in the later braising step.technique325-350°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of beef broth to pasta by weight because one-pot pasta needs extra liquid to account for absorption and evaporation during the 12-15 minute cooking process.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Add cream cheese at exactly 180°F (when mixture stops bubbling vigorously) to prevent curdling, as dairy proteins coagulate above 185°F when combined with acidic tomatoes.timing180°F
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking liquid before adding cream because the dissolved starches act as a natural emulsifier, preventing sauce separation.technique1 cup
- ✓Bloom Cajun spices in the rendered sausage fat for 30-45 seconds until fragrant because fat-soluble compounds in paprika and cayenne need lipids to fully release their flavor molecules.timing30-45 seconds