Name: Creamy Cajun Pastalaya
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 12 oz dry pasta (I used mafalda); 8 oz shrimp (peeled and deveined); 2 tbsp cajun spice; 1 tbsp olive oil; 6 oz chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into small bite size pieces, about 1 large chicken breast); 1 andouille sausage ( or smoked sausage, cut into slices); 1 medium onion (chopped); 1 stalk celery (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 red bell pepper (julienned); 1/2 green bell pepper (julienned); 1/2 yellow bell pepper (julienned); 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (low sodium); 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste); 1 cup Fontina cheese (shredded); 3 green onions (chopped); 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Creamy Cajun Pastalaya – just like jambalaya but better, made with pasta instead and with a creamy sauce and Fontina cheese. Great crowd pleaser and super simple!

a pot full of pastalaya topped with cheese and green onion

I love trying all types of different dishes from all over the world, especially ones packed with flavor, a little bit of heat, and plenty of perfect texture. One of these dishes is this delicious pastalaya, which it’s pretty similar to your regular jambalaya but it’s made with pasta. I also wanted to put my own spin on this recipe and turned it into a creamy version with a creamy sauce and one of my favorite cheeses, Fontina cheese.

What Is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a Louisiana origin dish with lots of Spanish and French influence. It consists mainly of meat and vegetables mixed with rice. Traditionally, this dish always includes sausage of some sort such as andouille, along with other meat or seafood.

I decided to use pasta today, with some cream, cajun spice, and pasta rather than rice – hence pastalaya!

What Is Mafalda Pasta?

If you’re unfamiliar with this style of pasta, I don’t blame you – I mean it’s not exactly common. This style almost looks like shrunken down lasagna sheets which means they’ll be totally twirl-able when incorporated into your dish. I promise you’ll be able to find them at your local grocery store but if not any small shaped pasta will work just fine.

Ingredients

We’ve got a bit of a long ingredient list here, but it is all crucial for developing that deep interesting flavor that we expect in a jambalaya. Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Chicken – I used breast for this recipe but thighs would work just as well.
Seasoning – Salt, pepper and chili powder are all we’re going to need.
Sausage – I’ve made this dish with andouille sausage but Italian or any smoked sausages but feel free to try others such as chorizo, or even kielbasa.
Shrimp – Large, peeled and deveined.
Aromatics – Fresh onion and garlic are our aromatics for this dish. If minced is all you have on hand just keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons is equivalent to one fresh clove.
Veggies – Bell pepper, every color, and celery.
Broth – Low sodium chicken broth is best as we want to control our sodium content.
Cream – Use whichever fat content you’d like although I recommend it be heavy.
Pasta – I used mafalda as we want something that really hold onto our sauce but any larger shaped pasta will do. If you’re not feeling pasta this dish is beautiful served over rice.
Cheese – I used my favorite for this recipe! Freshly shredded Fontina cheese.
Garnish – Fresh sliced green onion and cilantro to sprinkle liberally on top!

How To Prep Your Shrimp

You’ll want to start at the small legs on the shrimp. Simply pull those off and the rest of the shell should start to release. Pull off the rest of the shell – but keep the tails on. To remove the vein along the top simply cut a slit with a small knife down the middle of the shrimp’s back before removing the black vein with the tip of your knife.

How To Make Creamy Cajun Pastalaya

Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Saute your shrimp: Season the shrimp with about 1/2 tbsp of the cajun seasoning and set aside. In a large skillet or Dutch oven heat the olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until it turns pink, about 2 min per side, could be less depending on the size of your shrimp. Remove the shrimp from the pot and set aside.
Brown the protein: Add the chicken and sausage to the pot, and sprinkle about 1 tbsp of the cajun seasoning over the chicken. Stir everything together and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Combine the jambalaya: Add the onion, celery and garlic to the skillet and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Add all the peppers and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tbsp of cajun seasoning over the peppers, stir well and cook for another 3 minutes.
Make it creamy: Add the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet, stir and season with salt and pepper if needed. Add the shrimp back to the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the cooked pasta and about 1/2 cup of the shredded Fontina cheese. Stir everything together.
Finish the dish: Remove from heat, then garnish with the remaining Fontina cheese, green onions and parsley. The pasta will continue to soak up the sauce. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftover for up to 3 days.

Want To Make Your Own Cajun Spice Blend?

If you can’t find a jar of this in your local grocery store you can most definitely make this spice blend at home! Here’s my recipe for cajun seasoning.

Different Sausages To Use For Jambalaya

Jambalaya is great with a Mexican chorizo sausage.
Andouille sausage which is a smoked sausage made from pork. This is what I used today.
Italian sausage, especially if you like a spicier dish!
You can also use Kielbasa which is a Polish sausage. It’s flavored with caraway seeds and made with pork. It’s delicious!

a plate full of pastalaya made with mafalda noodles, bell pepper, sausage, chicken, and onion

Not A Fontina Fan?

Fontina cheese is known for its earthy, mushroomy and woody taste. If you don’t like Fontina cheese, feel free to use a Mozzarella or even a Monterey Jack cheese.

Leftovers

This recipe will last well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 – 4 days. If you’d like to freeze this recipe you may want to only make the sauce and store for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge over night and make the pasta fresh as needed.

Creamy Cajun Pastalaya