Go Back

Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta

Creamy Cajun sausage pasta with penne coated in a lightly thickened Cajun cream sauce. Smoked sausage is browned in butter, then simmered with broth and cream before tossing with reserved pasta water for a silky finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun
Calories: 890
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sliced sausage
  • 1 lb andouille or smoked sausage
Pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 0.5 cup pasta water reserved from salted pasta cooking water
Vegetables
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 0.25 green onions for serving
  • 0.25 parsley for serving
Aromatics and seasoning
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 salt to taste
Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 1 tbsp butter

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the penne
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the penne until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
Brown the sausage and build the Cajun base
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, and brown the sliced sausage until browned. Remove the sausage and set it aside.
  2. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion and bell peppers for 4-5 minutes, stirring until softened. Add the minced garlic and Cajun seasoning, then cook for 2 minutes.
Make the creamy sauce and combine
  1. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce smooth.
  2. Toss the cooked penne with the reserved pasta water in the skillet, stirring until the sauce clings to the pasta. Stir in the grated parmesan until melted and glossy.
  3. Return the browned sausage to the skillet, toss to coat, and season with salt to taste. Adjust with a splash more reserved pasta water only if the sauce seems too thick.
Serve
  1. Top the pasta with green onions and parsley right before serving. Serve hot while the sauce is creamy.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the pasta water handy—its starch helps emulsify the cream sauce so it turns silky instead of splitting. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or pasta water. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can change texture after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and add parmesan at the end.