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A plate of cajun alfredo pasta.
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5 from 6 votes

Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo Pasta

This Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo Pasta is 9 simple ingredients, takes less 20 minutes to make and is SO good! With a creamy sauce that has a nice kick of spice, this is a comforting and easy pasta recipe that anyone will enjoy.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: holidays, pasta
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 829kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds andouille or smoked sausage sliced into discs
  • 1 pound curly or cylindrical pasta *see note
  • 2 bell peppers red and green, sliced
  • ½ medium onion sliced
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
  • ½ cup grated parmesan plus more for garnish

Instructions

  • Prepare pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain and set aside. 
  • Add oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, sear sausage 3 minutes. Add peppers and onions and sauté an additional 8 minutes. 
  • Turn the heat to medium and pour in cream, milk and seasoning. Once bubbles appear at the edge of the pan, add pasta and parmesan cheese and simmer 2 minutes. Add reserved pasta water if needed. 
  • Serve and garnish with additional parmesan cheese.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

  • For an extra pop of color, add fresh parsley or green onion as a garnish.
  • Here's a pro tip: If you’re wondering “How much salt should I put in my pasta water,” use the rule of thumb 1:1:4
    • 1 pound of pasta : 1 tablespoon salt : 4 quarts (16 cups) water
  • Andouille sausage is sharper and smokier than other varieties. It lends many of the popular cajun flavors. Smoked sausage, chicken, or turkey sausage can work great in this dish as well.
  • Seasoned, seared, and sliced chicken breasts or thighs also work excellent in this dish!
  • If you have a dairy intolerance, you can substitute the milk and cream with a dairy-free milk and thicken with the pasta water or a cornstarch slurry made with water and cornstarch.
  • Pasta with a cylindrical shape holds and carries the sauce well. Trecce or penne pasta is our favorite pasta for cajun sausage alfredo pasta. Others that work well are rigatoni, rotini, farfalle, cavatappi, and fusilli. You can also use something like fettuccini, but I feel that the curly noodles bind the sauce better.

Storage and Freezing

Refrigeration: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Consume within 3-4 days. Beyond this timeframe, the quality may start to degrade.
Avoid Freezing: While pasta dishes with cream-based sauces can be frozen, the quality of Alfredo sauce may be affected. If you choose to freeze, note that the texture of the sauce might change upon thawing.
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Nutrition

Calories: 829kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 1360mg | Potassium: 467mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2885IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 2mg
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