Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

Content… Easy to Make Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Delectable Cajun Recipes to Try Conclusion Watch How to Make It

Easy Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

You’ll love the bold flavors of this recipe because it has the same classic jambalaya spices. The incredible flavor explosion from Creole spices, garlic, onions, and thyme drenches the delectable sweet peppers, sausage, shrimp, and chicken. Then you replace the rice with fettuccine for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Fettucine – This wider noodle is the perfect carrier for the jambalaya sauce. But you can use your preferred past, no prob. 😉
2. Meat – Enjoy the meaty goodness with chicken, shrimp, and kielbasa. The flavors meld beautifully in this pasta recipe. But you can use chorizo, Italian sausage, or Andouille for an equally delicious meal.
3. Seasoning – Sauteed onion, garlic, thyme, and bell peppers create an exciting base flavor.
4. Veggies – The tomatoes and bell peppers add a blast of color and flavor to make it more enticing.
5. Spices – Creole spices and paprika deliver authentic Cajun flavor to this pasta dish. Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth provide savory umami.
6. Cornstarch – You’ll want to thicken your sauce so it’ll stick to the pasta. Feel free to replace it with arrowroot powder if you have to go grain free.

How to Make Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

Cook the Meat

• Season – Lightly season the chicken and shrimp with Creole spice. (Photos 1-3)
• Cook the Shrimp – Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan and sauté shrimp for 3-5 minutes and set aside. (Photo 4)
• Brown the Chicken and Sausage – Add the chicken and sausage, sauté until browned on both sides, and remove. Set aside. (Photos 5-6)

Make the Sauce

• Saute – Add onions, tomatoes, garlic, and cornstarch to the pan. Stir for about a minute. Then add thyme, paprika, and Creole spices. Follow with bell peppers, chicken broth, sausage, chicken, and Worcestershire sauce. (Photos
• Simmer – Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes.
• Cook the Pasta – Boil the fettuccine according to the package instructions.
• Serve – Toss the shrimp into the jambalaya, then adjust for salt and thickness. Serve over pasta or fettuccine.

Recipe Variations

1. Creamy and Cheesy – Enjoy creamy goodness with a dash of heavy cream for an extra wow factor. And, of course, the cheese will surely make it better. Grated mozzarella, parmesan, or pepper jack cheese sounds amazing.
2. Amp the Heat – Be a spice rebel and ramp up the heat with habanero, serrano, jalapeno, or Scotch bonnet pepper. But don’t sweat it too much because cayenne and pepper flakes are fine, too.
3. Meat Swap – Go for a seafood fiesta with crab, squid, mussels, and scallops. A Cajun paella 😉 Yum!

Tips and Tricks

1. Devein the shrimp before cooking.
2. Slice the meat and veggies into uniform sizes for even cooking.
3. Add the cooked shrimp at the end as toppings to the pasta to avoid overcooking them.
4. Add the sauce to the pasta right when it’s ready to serve, so the pasta doesn’t get soggy.

Make-Ahead Instructions

If making Creole jambalaya pasta ahead, I suggest waiting to cook the shrimp to avoid overcooking them when you reheat the pasta. Instead, saute the shrimp and toss them in when you’re ready to serve. Cook the sauce and pasta and store them in the fridge in separate airtight containers.

Serving and Storing Instructions

You can’t go wrong with bread and a salad because they’re the ultimate pasta duo. Serve this Cajun-style jambalaya pasta with garlic bread and a tossed salad to complete the restaurant-style experience.

Pasta – Cooked pasta will stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen pasta in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, place the pasta and sauce in a baking dish, cover it, and bake it for about 15 minutes at 350℉/177℃.

Sauce – Store the sauce in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for three days in the fridge or in the freezer for six months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, and reheat it in the oven, stovetop, or microwave.

Leftover jambalaya will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave.

FAQs

What to Serve with Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

Since jambalaya is a one-pot meal, you can serve it with any of several delicious sides.

1. Turnip Greens
2. Oven-Roasted Corn
3. Fried Green Tomatoes
4. Cucumber and Onion Salad
5. Southern Corn Salad

More Delectable Cajun Recipes to Try

1. Cajun Chicken Alfredo
2. Baked Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
3. Cajun Shrimp Boil
4. Shrimp and Grits

Conclusion

This excellent one-pot meal is soul-satisfying and super easy. Are you looking for more mouthwatering recipes to amaze your family? Sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date 😉

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was originally published in December 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.