Description
This One Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta is a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner featuring spicy andouille sausage, sautéed mushrooms and peppers, and tender gluten-free penne pasta all cooked together in a rich, creamy Cajun sauce made with cream cheese and fire-roasted tomatoes.
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, and thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeds removed, and 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 sausage medallions to a large skillet or braiser over medium heat and sear them on both sides until they crisp up a bit, about 4 minutes total. Remove the sausage and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, keeping the sausage oil in the skillet.
- Cook veggies: In the same skillet with the remaining sausage oil, add the mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to brown.
- Add ingredients: Stir in the gluten-free penne pasta, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, and Cajun seasoning mix. Stir just until everything is evenly combined. Cover with a lid and bring the broth to a boil over medium heat.
- Cook pasta: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let the pasta simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender and cooked al dente.
- Add cream cheese: Add chunks of cream cheese to the skillet and stir continuously until the cheese melts completely and forms a thick, creamy sauce.
- Combine and serve: Return the cooked sausage to the skillet, season with salt to taste, and stir everything together thoroughly. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and red pepper flakes if desired, then serve immediately.
Notes
- This one pot recipe is perfect for quick and easy weeknight dinners, minimizing cleanup.
- Adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning or red pepper flakes to control the heat level to your preference.
- For even creamier sauce, add a little more cream cheese or a splash of milk or cream.
- You can substitute andouille sausage with other smoked or spicy sausages if desired.
- Stirring frequently while the pasta cooks helps to prevent sticking and ensures even cooking.
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
