Easy + Delicious Dinner Recipe: Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo
It’s been a little while since I’ve tried something new for dinner and because life has *somewhat* slowed down around here, I decided to take advantage.
Finishing work early, stepping away from my desk, and taking my time to make a delicious meal for David and I—while the sun is still out, brings me so much joy!
And this week, me and our baby (ha!) were craving pasta. I wanted something full of flavor that didn’t take too long to put together, but was a step above the traditional spaghetti dish.
While browsing through my Google search, I came across this Smoked Sausage Cajun Alfredo on Delish, and from the photo alone felt my mouth watering. The ingredients weren’t too out of this world, and it was an opportunity for me to make my own alfredo sauce.
Not to mention, we were in NOLA a few weeks ago, so I’m still in the Cajun spirit!
Overall, this meal took me about 45-minutes from start to finish. And it’s lasted us throughout the week, which is also a win!
As always, I suggest prepping the ingredients first, so you can seamlessly make your way through the recipe without scrambling.
Also, if as you’re making the sauce and it doesn’t seem to be thickening—I suggest whisking in some all-purpose flour little by little until you get your desired consistency. I may or may not have had to do this myself, ha!
Lastly, we were surprisingly out of Cajun seasoning, and I was already deep into the cooking process, so I made my own using Paprika, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Salt and Pepper. And it tasted perfect!
Happy cooking!
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. neutral oil
12 oz. Cajun andouille sausage, cut into 1/2" slices on the bias
Kosher salt
1 lb. penne
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth, plus more
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. store-bought or homemade Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
2 1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan, divided
Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Directions
Step 1
In a 12" skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook sausage, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
Step 3
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon butter and a splash of broth. Cook, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until butter is melted. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add Cajun seasoning and remaining 1 1/2 cups broth. Cook, stirring, until combined, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking constantly and adding 2 cups Parmesan in a slow, steady stream until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced by about one-third, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and whisk until melted.
Step 4
Add pasta to skillet and toss, adding tablespoons of pasta water as needed and up to 1/2 cup more Parmesan, until pasta is covered in sauce and sauce is glossy and smooth.
Step 5
Return sausage to skillet. Top with parsley and Parmesan.