Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

12-16 ounces short cut pasta (like penne) (gluten-free if needed)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon cajun seasoning (divided)

1 (12 oz) package smoked andouille sausage (sliced on the bias)

1 medium yellow onion (diced)

2 bell peppers (any color, diced (I used red and green pepper)

Pinch red pepper flakes (to taste)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk)

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

Fresh parsley for serving

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it to al dente according to the package directions. When it's done, remove a cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.

While it's cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet, like a 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and 2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning and cook to crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate or bowl.

Turn the stove down to medium heat and add the onion and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of cajun seasoning, and a little bit of red pepper flakes to the same skillet and cook to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.

Whisk in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and tomato paste until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-7 minutes to thicken slightly.

Stir in the parmesan cheese then add the cooked pasta and crispy sausage and toss to coat in the sauce. Add up to 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water too thin the sauce slightly as needed. Serve right away with more parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.

Nutrition

• Calories: 483 kcal
• Total Fat: 17.5 g
• Cholesterol: 31.5 mg
• Sodium: 558.9 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 64.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4.1 g
• Total Sugars: 5.9 g
• Protein: 16.7 g