Description
This One Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta is a flavorful and hearty dish combining spicy andouille sausage, sautéed vegetables, and creamy sauce all cooked together with gluten-free penne pasta. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, this recipe blends bold Cajun seasoning with a rich, creamy texture for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 13 oz. andouille sausage links (about 4 links, sliced into medallions)
- 6 oz. fresh baby bella mushrooms (cleaned and thinly sliced)
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper (stemmed, seeds removed, thinly sliced)
- 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper (stemmed, seeds removed, thinly sliced)
- 3 large garlic cloves (minced)
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz. gluten-free penne pasta
- 1/2 cup canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons no-salt or low-salt Cajun seasoning mix
- 7 oz. cream cheese
- Salt (to taste)
- Fresh Italian parsley (finely chopped, optional)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook sausage: Add the sliced sausage medallions to a large skillet or braiser over medium heat and sear them on both sides until they crisp up slightly, about 4 minutes total. Remove the sausage from the skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep the sausage oil in the pan for added flavor.
- Cook veggies: In the same skillet with the sausage oil, add the sliced mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the mushrooms begin to brown and the veggies are slightly softened.
- Add ingredients: Stir in the gluten-free penne pasta, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, and Cajun seasoning. Combine everything evenly, then cover the skillet with a lid and bring the broth to a boil.
- Cook pasta: Reduce the heat to medium and allow the pasta to simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is tender and cooked al dente.
- Add cream cheese: Add chunks of cream cheese to the skillet and stir until fully melted and the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
- Combine and serve: Return the cooked sausage to the skillet, season with salt to taste, and stir everything well. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and red pepper flakes if desired, then serve immediately.
Notes
- This one pot dinner is perfect for a quick weeknight meal offering lots of flavor with minimal cleanup.
- Adjust the Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your taste.
- For a creamier sauce, add more cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream.
- You can substitute andouille sausage with smoked sausage or chorizo if preferred.
- Make sure to stir often while simmering to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 362 kcal
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 500.3 mg
- Fat: 21.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.3 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 33.7 g
- Cholesterol: 90.7 mg
