creamy spicy cajun pasta

i’ve found myself in a bit of a meal prep + meal planning rut for the last.. 6? 9? 12? months? it’s tough to be in the business of boasting about meal planning when the thought feels so incredibly hideous some weeks that i just simply cannot. like when you make scrambled eggs 5 nights in a row and call it a victory? this is a safe space so i will mention that i made bacon grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner last night… and that was it. i could make a lot of arguments that bread butter cheese bacon is a balanced meal but i won’t because you know it and i know it that it’s not. amen.

anyway, i’ve made a few variations of this pasta for my husband and i and it really is the sort of things that puts a fire in your belly and a meal planning spirit in your heart. like a little treat you can tuck into the calendar for a dinner to look forward to because it’s so craveable and creamy and delicious.

see what i’m doing here? i’m convincing us again that meal prep is FUN and TASTY and SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO. i’m nearly there.

is this an authentic cajun pasta? sort of yes and sort of no. i won’t claim to know the ins and out of cajun dishes but the general flavors are here in the creamiest cajun-spiced tomato sauce, and we’re piling our pasta high with andouille sausage and peppers to give us the full picture of deliciousness. this is a great dish for weeknights as well because it comes together super quickly - ideal for those evenings when you don’t have a ton of time for your meal plans! (see?)

a few things before we get started:
- this is a dish where we are not skimping! i am making no qualms about ‘healthier’ substitutes, imitation anything, making-this-less-delicious in any way. this is a rich, creamy, spicy pasta and is satisfying on roughly 289734973284 levels.
- if spicy is not quite your jam, dial it back and skip the cayenne pepper.
- if your sauce starts to thicken too much, you can add a little water or broth while it’s simmering.
- if you can’t find ground andouille sausage, spicy italian sausage or ground pork will work here, too.
- let me just sing the praises of how amazing this dish is as leftovers. siiiiiiiing.

creamy spicy cajun pasta
makes: 4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes

1lb pasta (elbows or cavatappi work great - you want something with ridges and nooks to scoop in the sauce)
1lb ground andouille sausage
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1c canned diced tomatoes, drained
16oz can tomato sauce
1c heavy cream (you can use milk or coconut milk if you prefer - i have not tested this so I can’t account for the flavor difference)
1tbsp butter
1tbsp olive oil
2tsp paprika
2tsp onion powder
2tsp garlic powder
1tsp cayenne
1tsp salt
parsley for garnish + a little freshness

heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. add the sausage. while breaking up the sausage into crumbles, saute until browned, about 5 minutes. add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, and spices, and saute for another 5 minutes.

meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. reserve 1/2c of pasta water before draining.

next, stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and heavy cream. lower the heat to a simmer. simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally, then add the cooked pasta and pasta water, stirring again to combine. top with parsley, and enjoy while piping hot!