Creamy Cajun Andouille Pasta
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Butter melts, bell pepper and onion sizzle, garlic wakes kitchen. Toss in smoky andouille browned just right. Whisk chicken broth into flour till lump-free. Add broth mix, Cajun heat hits, thickens quickly. Cream tames spice, coats pasta and fresh tomatoes. Four servings. Southern vibe, a hint of heat, side-step with turkey sausage for leaner bite. Watch textures and aromas, timing less exact. Get the technique, skip common messes like flour lumps or mushy veggies.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
14 min
Total:
20 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Cajun
#Pasta
#Andouille
#Southern cooking
#Cream sauce
#Quick meals
Butter melts and sky opens up with bell pepper and onion softening, smells of garlic fill air quick. That sausage, andouille here, smokes the pan, crusts just a hair. Ditch it for turkey sausage if a leaner ride’s wanted. Whisk flour and chicken broth, gotta break lumps before thickening hit. Pour it in and sauce grabs, clings, thickens quick. Cajun seasoning blondes the cream that tames it; fight between heat and velvet. Taste, tweak, toss cooked pasta and bright tomatoes. This isn’t one of those precise, measured recipes. Watch sounds, aromas, textures—you’ll get it. Don’t overcook your veggies or pasta mush. Sauce either too thin or too thick? Fix it on fly. Between seasoning and cream, find your balance. I’ve burned garlic, had lumps—learned by doing in my own kitchen chaos. It’s about the feel of sauce, the crunch of veggies, the sizzle of sausage. A meal that warms with every bite—honest, bold, home.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces andouille sausage sliced (or turkey sausage for lighter)
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces cooked pasta (penne or rotini)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
About the ingredients
Butter—don’t skip quality here; it browns and carries flavor. Bell pepper varies with freshness; go firm not soggy. Red onion adds bite; shallots swap for sharper punch occasionally. Garlic gives aroma—mince finely but watch it, burns turn bitter fast. Flour thickens; always mix into broth cold till smooth. Chicken broth best low sodium, so you control salt. Andouille sausage smoky and spicy, essential but turkey sausage slims it down. Cajun seasoning blends chili, paprika, garlic powder; buy good blend or DIY; can adjust heat easily. Heavy cream adds richness but use half-&-half if watching calories—just watch sauce stability. Pasta: shape holds sauce differently; penne or rotini catch sauce well; overcook and mush happens. Cherry tomatoes fresh, juicy bursts—don’t replace with canned; kills the brightness refreshment. Simple swaps affect texture or taste but keep elements balanced. Preparing basics ahead, like cooked pasta, saves time; pasta water handy for thinning sauce.
Method
- Heat butter in big skillet over medium heat. When it foams, throw in diced bell pepper and red onion. Stir, listen for gentle sizzle. After 3 minutes, veggies should soften but not collapse. Toss garlic last, keep stirring ~1 minute until fragrant but not brown.
- While that cooks, whisk chicken broth steadily into flour in separate bowl. Aim for no lumps; smooth slurry that’s thin enough to pour easily but coats spoon thickly.
- Add sausage slices to skillet. Let them brown 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized spots form. No crowding or they’ll steam not sear. Flip carefully, aromas will deepen.
- Pour broth and flour mix into sausage pan. Stir vigorously. Liquid thickens fast, looks like a sauce coating bottom. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning evenly in, stir until blended. Taste at this point – adjust seasoning if too sharp or mild.
- Pour in heavy cream slowly, stir constantly. Sauce turns creamy, silky. Avoid boiling now or cream could split. Texture should coat the back of spoon, thick yet pourable.
- Add cooked pasta and tomatoes straight to skillet. Toss gently to combine. Tomatoes warm through, keeping shape and juiciness. Serve hot. Garnish optional but green onions add bite.
- If sauce too thick, loosen with splash of pasta water or broth. Too runny? Simmer briefly, watch closely. Overcooking kills texture of veggies and pasta.
- Substitution note: smoked turkey sausage cuts fat but keep spicy kick with extra seasoning. Bell peppers interchangeable for poblano or mild poblano for earthiness. Onion can be swapped with shallot for sharper aroma.
- Common pitfalls: don’t brown garlic too long or it burns bitter. Flour slurry lumps make gritty sauce; whisk well. Pamper sausage heat to get crispy spots, not rubbery texture.
- Listen for sizzle shifts, smell deepening aromas, watch sauce consistency often. Those are your cues, not stopwatch.
- The balance between creamy and spicy is subtle and personal control here is key. Add cream gradually, taste frequently.
Cooking tips
Start with heating butter properly—foam and first bubble stage shows right temp. Veggies next to soften but not sweat to mush; veggies should still have a bite. Garlic tossed late; aroma must bloom but no color. Whisk flour in cold broth prevents nasty lumps that ruin sauce texture. Sausage needs careful browning; against the pan, no overcrowding. Flip edges when you see nice golden crust, aroma deep. Pour slurry slow into hot pan; mixture thickens fast write down visual cues: sauce clings, looks like velvet on spoon back. Cajun seasoning folded in now, stirring fast avoids burning spice. Adding cream stops thickening, calms heat, smooths texture—add slowly, stir steady avoid splitting. Toss cooked pasta and tomatoes off heat; residual warmth finishes meld. Too thick? Add splash pasta water gradually to loosen. If too thin, simmer on very low; bubbles form, thicken. Texture and taste check important here. Don’t let garlic burn, no bitter undertones. This dish is more intuition than timer, trust senses and adjust on fly. Keep tasting at each step, seasoning is key.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat butter first till foaming just starts then toss in diced bell pepper and onion. Listen for soft sizzle, not browning. Keep stirring veggies gently; soft but still a bit crisp, no mush. Garlic comes last—add when veggies softened but not falling apart. It needs a minute to wake aroma without burning; smells shifting from sharp to mellow tells when to move on.
- 💡 Whisk flour into cold chicken broth—not hot. Must be lump free slurry; thin enough to pour but coats spoon thickly. Pour slow into pan with sausage to avoid lumps. Watch sauce thicken fast, looks like velvet clinging on pan. If it’s thin, wait a few seconds longer, not just pour more slurry or you risk thin sauce. Timing is sensory — eyes and spoon tell all.
- 💡 Brown sausage on medium heat, flip carefully. No crowding or they steam, not sear. You want caramelized spots; smell deepening smoky notes. Searing adds texture contrast but too hot burns outside, rubbery inside. Adding slurry right after browning stops cooking, cools pan slightly, thickens sauce gently. That balance takes practice, adjust heat based on pan size and stove.
- 💡 Pour cream slowly while stirring to avoid curdling. Sauce goes silky, thick but still pourable. Avoid boiling now; bubbles break cream, lead to grainy sauce. Texture should coat spoon back evenly. Add cream in small amounts, taste repeatedly. Spice mellowing happens here—adjust seasoning before cream pouring for best control.
- 💡 Toss cooked pasta, preferably penne or rotini, into sauce off heat or very low heat. Add cherry tomatoes last, warm through but keep firmness. Tomatoes burst if cooked too long, lose brightness and make sauce watery. To loosen sauce, splash reserved pasta water sparingly. Too thick? Simmer very gently, bubbles form slowly, texture thickens without overcooking veggies or pasta.
- 💡 Swap andouille sausage with smoked turkey sausage for leaner protein but expect less smokiness. Add a bit extra Cajun seasoning to keep punch. Bell peppers can switch with mild poblano—adds earthiness, less sweetness. Onion swap for shallot gives sharper aroma but watch garlic timing; more pungent base layer. Keep basics intact to not disrupt sauce consistency or final balance.
- 💡 Garlic timing key: add only when bell pepper and onion softly cooked. Too soon and it burns bitter, ruining sauce aroma. Flour lumps wreck sauce texture; whisk slurry cold, pour slow. Sausage crisp spots come from heat control and no crowding; rubbery comes from steaming. Watch sauce consistency often — visual and tactile cues trump timers.
- 💡 I pay attention to sizzle changes—when veggie sounds soften, garlic aroma blooms, sauce texture turns right on spoon—these sensory shifts signal moving steps. Overcooked pasta or veggies mush. Sauce too runny? Low simmer, watch bubbles and thickness. Adjust seasoning after cream adds richness. Balance here personal, taste often to find your spot.
Common questions
How to prevent garlic burning?
Add garlic late after peppers and onions soften. Stir fast, watch color. Aroma goes from sharp to fragrant signals stop. Burnt garlic smells bitter, ruins. Keep heat medium low at this step.
Can I use other sausages?
Yes. Smoked turkey sausage works leaner, less smoky. Add extra Cajun seasoning to keep boldness. Chorizo or kielbasa swap changes flavor, not traditional but tasty. Adjust cooking time for fat content differences.
What causes lumps in sauce?
Flour not mixed in cold broth makes clumps. Whisk slurry till smooth, no lumps. Pour slurry slow into hot pan. Stir vigorously when added to avoid flour balls. Too thick sauce? Thin with pasta water, little by little.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly, airtight container fridge—up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stove with splash broth or cream to loosen. Freeze okay but texture may change, sauce can separate slightly. Reheat slow to bring back silky texture.
