Pastalaya Recipe

Content… The Best Pasta Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Cozy Cajun Recipes to Try

What’s the Best Pasta for Pastalaya?

Pastalaya uses pasta instead of rice. I used fettuccine, but any type of pasta works great, like penne, bowtie pasta, or spaghetti. You might want to consider how much sauce the pasta will hold and what you already have in your pantry. 😉

Recipe Ingredients

1. Meats – I’ve used my favorite jambalaya proteins for this recipe: chicken breast, andouille sausage, and shrimp. This is a great place to put your own spin on the recipe, though. You can swap out any of these with smoked sausage, ham, turkey, or your preferred protein.
2. Vegetables – Bell pepper, celery, onion, garlic, and diced tomatoes add texture and contribute to that classic jambalaya flavor. 
3. Seasonings – Creole seasoning, of course, along with minced thyme, adds real depth of flavor and a touch of heat.
4. Liquids – To make things saucy, you’ll need chicken broth and heavy cream. 

How to Make Cajun Pastalaya

Prep Ingredients

• Boil the Fettuccine – Fill a large pot with five quarts of water per pound of pasta and bring it to a boil. Add your pasta and cook to al dente (fettuccine takes about 12 minutes). Reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside. (Photo 1)
• Cook Sausage – Melt butter over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Add sausage and sauté, stirring frequently, until browned (about 5 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, and leave the drippings in the skillet. (Photo 2)
• Prep Shrimp – Lightly season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and about ½ teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Cook it in the skillet, stirring frequently, until just pink (about 2 minutes). Remove from skillet, and set aside. (Photo 3)
• Cook Chicken – Season chicken with 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add it to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a time or two, until the chicken is no longer pink. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer to the same plate as the sausage and shrimp. (Photo 4)

Assemble Your Jambalaya Made With Pasta

• Saute Veggies – Add oil to the skillet, then add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are barely soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and the remaining Creole seasoning and cook for another 3-4 minutes. (Photos 5-6)
• Add Decadence – Next, add the heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes. (Photos 7-8)
• Add Cooked Pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the simmering sauce. Stir well so the sauce coats the pasta. Then add sausage, shrimp, chicken, and cooking liquid, stir to combine, and cook for about 3 minutes—season with salt and pepper to taste. (Photos 9-10)
• Serve – Garnish with green onion and lemon if desired. Serve your Cajun pastalaya and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

1. Get boozy. Replace some of the chicken broth with beer or wine. It won’t actually make the dish taste boozy, but it will add some gorgeous depth of flavor to the sauce. 🤤
2. Go vegetarian. Swap out the meat for mushrooms, tofu, or another protein, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian-friendly Cajun pastalaya recipe.
3. Make it gluten-free. Use a gluten-free pasta, and voila! You can now invite your GF friends over for the meal. (Just make sure your sausage is also gluten-free.)

Tips and Tricks

1. Use a cast iron skillet. Heavy cast iron is better at regulating temperatures, which is helpful when you saute ingredients in batches, as for pastalaya.
2. Add more oil as needed. If your pan starts looking dry or your ingredients start sticking as you saute, add a little more oil or butter to keep things from sticking and burning. 
3. Try some time savers. If you want to whip this up extra fast, pick up some pre-chopped “trinity” veggies (celery, onion, bell pepper) at the grocery store to reduce prep time. You can also use pre-cooked meats, which you’ll only have to saute until they are warmed through. And that speeds up the actual cooking process. 

Make-Ahead Instructions

Pastalaya is fantastic for making ahead. Simply let it cool and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days before reheating. It tastes even better the next day.

Can you freeze pastalaya? Absolutely. You can keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

To reheat thawed pastalaya, pop it back in a pan on the stovetop and reheat on medium until warmed through. If it seems a little dry or sticks to the pan, add water or chicken broth as needed. 

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve pastalaya piping hot, garnished with chopped green onions and lemon wedges. You can even sprinkle some shredded parmesan over the top. 😋

Store leftover pastalaya in an airtight container in the fridge and eat up within 3 days.

What Goes With Pastalaya

Loads of sides go great with pastalaya, like oven-roasted corn, fried green tomatoes, or some grilled cabbage steaks. And don’t forget to offer some crusty bread. Homemade garlic bread is a favorite of mine. 👌

More Cozy Cajun Recipes to Try

1. Gumbo
2. Baked Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
3. Cajun Shrimp Boil
4. Crawfish Boil
5. Cajun Chicken Alfredo