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Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta

Creamy Cajun sausage pasta tossed with penne until glossy, with a slightly thickened cream-and-broth sauce. Andouille or smoked sausage, sautéed bell peppers and onions, and a parmesan finish create a rich, restaurant-style coating.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 lb andouille or smoked sausage
1 pound penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper
1 onion, diced
  • 1 onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 garlic
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1.5 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
  • 0.5 cup parmesan
1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup pasta water
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
Green onions and parsley for serving
  • 1 green onions
  • 1 parsley
Salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook penne pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining (visual cue: pasta still has a slight bite).
Brown the sausage
  1. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the sliced andouille or smoked sausage. Cook until browned on the edges (visual cue: caramelized spots), then remove and set aside.
Build the Cajun sauce
  1. In the same skillet, sauté onion and bell peppers for 4-5 minutes. Stir often until softened (visual cue: glossy, slightly translucent vegetables).
  2. Add garlic and Cajun seasoning, then cook for 2 minutes. Stir until fragrant (visual cue: darkened seasoning and aroma bubbling), without letting garlic burn.
  3. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Reduce gently (visual cue: sauce coats the back of a spoon).
Combine and finish
  1. Add the cooked penne pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water to the skillet, then toss well. Stir to loosen the sauce and cling to the pasta (visual cue: glossy coating).
  2. Stir in parmesan until melted and smooth. (Visual cue: sauce becomes creamy and uniform.)
  3. Return the browned sausage to the skillet and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste (visual cue: sausage evenly distributed and sauce looks cohesive).
  4. Top with green onions and parsley right before serving. (Visual cue: fresh green flecks on top.)

Notes

For the creamiest texture, simmer the cream mixture gently (not a hard boil) before adding pasta water and parmesan so it thickens without splitting. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat over medium-low with a splash of pasta water or chicken broth to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream sauce may separate on thawing. If you want a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and simmer 2-3 minutes longer to reach a similar thickness.