Cajun Sausage Pasta

Creamy and cheesy with smoked sausage nestled in pasta and accented with fire roasted tomatoes make this one pot Cajun Sausage Pasta recipe delicious!

Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta Recipe

Trending on Tiktok as Cajun Pasta with Sausage, this meal starts with a base recipe that is enjoyable for the picky eaters in our house. I love that this super popular recipe is made in one pot on the stove in under 30 minutes.

The base of roasted tomatoes blooms and is perfectly complimented by cheddar cheese and the smoky flavors with bowtie pasta. This dish reminds us of the tomato undertones in our Shrimp Jambalaya. You can easily use half sausage and half cooked shrimp in this recipe for another variation.

Several different flavors blend very well together from the savory, smoky, browned sausage, cheese and cream give it depth and tomatoes add a natural sweetness that is very enjoyable. Like our one pot Sausage Jambalaya it’s always nice to add more easy meals to the menu.

Cajun seasoning is not have to be spicy and has a bit more depth than a regular seasoned salt. I don’t enjoy spicy food and I crave this creamy cajun sausage pasta recipe.

Why This Recipe Works:

• This one pot recipe saves time and dishes and is easy to make quickly on a week night.
• Simple ingredients that store well for a couple weeks come together to make an amazing meal.
• The meat and pasta combo is popular with kids and adults and tastes like it’s restaurant quality.
• Leftovers freeze and reheat well.
• There are many options to customize this recipe and change the flavor profile to fit your preference.

Ingredients Needed:

• Smoked Sausage – Cut into coins or bite sized pieces and browned on each side. Kielbasa or Andouille sausage substitute well if you prefer those flavors.
• Bow Tie Pasta – also known as farfelle is our favorite pasta, but penne, rigatoni, orecchiette or rotini pasta will also work great.
• Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – We found a couple different brands, but not every tomato company makes this newer product. These add a nice charred or grilled flavor. Regular diced tomatoes in juice can work too.
• Whipping Cream – We use a small amount to add creaminess, but I’m often tempted to add more because we love the rich flavor.
• Chicken Broth – add more flavor to the liquid the pasta absorbs while cooking than plain water.
• Cajun Seasoning – our favorite mixture of mild spices, you substitute for your favorite seasonings.
• Onion & Garlic – add an earthy depth to the dish.
• Cheddar Cheese – sticks to the noodles at the end for a wonderful finishing touch.

Garlic lovers will swoon over this meal served with cheesy bread made on Hawaiian Rolls.

Is This Recipe Spicy?

The core ingredients in this recipe are mild and combine to make a very flavorful dish that is not spicy.

If you want to make this recipe spicy do so by adding more spices like red pepper flakes and Andouille sausage.

Andouille has meat particles that are a little bigger due to a coarser grinding method. Another distinction in Andouille sausage or Cajun sausage is the herbs and spices used to make a stronger, spicer flavor profile.

How to Make Cajun Pasta with Sausage

Cut smoked sausage into coins or bite sized pieces.

Add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large skillet. Heat the skillet and oil over medium high heat for 3 – 4 minutes.

Add sausage and cover. I like to chop the onion while the sausage is browning.

Stir every couple minutes until the pieces of sausage are browned on both sides. Remember brown is not just a color, it’s a flavor. So take the time if possible to add some extra flavor in the form of browning to the meat.

Have an extra plate ready and when meat is brown set aside on the extra plate.

There should be a little bit of oil remaining from the cooking the sausage. Add the chopped onions to this oil and cook over medium high heat for 3 – 4 minutes.

Then add garlic, stir and continue to sauté until both ingredients are tender.

Add the chicken broth, heavy cream and a can of fire roasted tomatoes.

Season with salt, pepper and cajun seasoning or your favorite spices.

I like to use my Swiss Diamond saute pan with high sides. Being able to make the entire box of pasta in the one pan helps save dishes and time.

Stir the ingredients together and then pour in pasta. Be very gentle while stirring a little bit.

Cover and cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender.

Do a taste test of a couple pieces of pasta before removing from the heat.

Once pasta is tender stir in shredded cheddar cheese.

Then stir in browned sausage.

Serve warm right out of the skillet and enjoy!

What Other Types of Pasta Work?

Any type of short pasta will work great! We typically use bowtie or farfelle, penne, but rigatoni, orecchiette or rotini pasta will also work fine.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Smoked sausage or Kielbasa can be sliced and onion can be chopped ahead of time for meal prep.
• If using fresh tomatoes add a half a cup of chicken broth so the pasta has enough liquid to cook in.
• If you don’t have a large skillet then two smaller skillets or a larger dutch oven will work fine.
• Fire roasted diced tomatoes are common, but if unavailable regular diced tomatoes will work too.
• We love adding slices of bell peppers and mushrooms to create a variation of this recipe – add these veggies in and sauté until tender while softening the onions.

More Easy Family Meals:

Chicken Cobbler with Reb Lobster Biscuit Mix is another one dish tiktok sensation that is super popular.

Ground Beef and Tortellini Skillet makes an easy and flavorful skillet meal.

BBQ Kielbasa tastes so good as an appetizer on toothpicks of makes easy sandwiches with smoked sausage coated in BBQ sauce.

One Pot Sausage & Peppers Pasta uses a different type of sausage and creates a flavorful meal.