Cajun Spaghetti is a creamy and spicy pasta recipe that’s perfect to make for an indulgent meal. It is super easy to make and comes together in under 20 minutes using simple ingredients.
Love pasta? Then you definitely try my other pasta recipes that are just perfect – Chicken Florentine Pasta, Jambalaya Pasta, White Sauce Pasta, Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta, and Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.
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About This Recipe
I love to make pasta for dinner and this cajun spaghetti (Louisiana spaghetti) is my current obsession. It’s creamy, spicy, savory and so comforting.
The best part is that comes together in under 20 minutes using simple ingredients.
Serve it for special dinners or cozy homestyle meals, this recipe is a sure shot winner.
The recipe that I am sharing today is vegetarian but feel free to add shrimp, chorizo sausage, chicken, or meatballs to it for a non-vegetarian version.
Ingredients
Pasta – Although I make this recipe using spaghetti, you can experiment with other varieties of pasta such as Farfalle, Penne, Fusilli, etc.
You can also opt for whole wheat, gluten-free, or other whole-grain spaghetti to give it a healthy twist.
Oil – Extra virgin olive oil gives a lovely flavor to this pasta dish. You can also opt for butter for a richer taste.
Veggies – I have used onions, mixed bell peppers, and spinach.
You can substitute spinach with kale and add more veggies of your choice like broccoli, mushroom, zucchini, asparagus, etc.
Cream and Cheese – To add that perfect creamy texture, add in heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese.
Tomato Paste – It adds that perfect tangy-sweet taste to the pasta.
Cajun Seasoning – It adds a distinct flavor to the pasta, that makes it unique and delicious.
You can either make cajun seasoning at home or use store-bought.
Others – Other than the above-mentioned ingredients, you will also need garlic, salt, pepper, and chicken broth powder (or vegetable broth powder).
How To Make Cajun Spaghetti
Cook 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti as per the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Tip – Reserve some water from boiling the pasta. If the final dish gets dry, add this water to fix the consistency.
While the spaghetti is cooking, make the sauce.
Heat 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon minced garlic and ½ cup diced onions and saute for 1 minute until the onions are translucent.
Add ½ cup diced mixed bell peppers, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon chicken broth powder and saute for a minute.
Note – If adding any protein like chicken, shrimp, meatballs, or sausages, add them at this stage and cook them well before adding the next set of ingredients.
Add 1 cup spinach (torn roughly) and ¼ cup heavy cream and mix everything well.
Add the cooked pasta and ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese and toss well using a tong or two large spoons to coat the spaghetti with the sauce.
Check for salt and add more if required.
If the pasta looks dry, add some of the reserved water from cooking the pasta and toss well.
Garnish with more parmesan cheese and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make it vegan, you can skip adding heavy cream and parmesan cheese and use coconut milk + nutritional yeast instead.
To make it healthier,
1. You can use whole wheat or brown rice spaghetti instead of all-purpose flour pasta. You can also replace flour spaghetti with zoodles (zucchini noodles).
2. Add more vegetables to make it nice and filling. If you are adding more veggies, you can reduce the amount of pasta too.
3. Replace heavy cream with cashew cream or coconut cream.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this super delicious and oh-so-creamy Cajun Spaghetti on its own with a chilled glass of wine for a comforting meal.
You can also serve garlic bread, open toast, or bruschetta on the side.
I sometimes serve a refreshing summer salad on the side to make the meal more filling and wholesome.
Storage Suggestions
I love pasta when it is served right out of the pan, so I will suggest you make it fresh!
In case, you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a day or two.
While reheating in a pan or microwave, you can add a little cream or milk to adjust the consistency, as it tends to become a little dry when refrigerated.
I often boil the spaghetti and store it in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days in an air-tight container. It saves me a little time when I want to fix myself a quick pasta.
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Recipe Card
Cajun Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounce uncooked spaghetti (225 g)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup diced onions
- ½ cup diced mixed bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste )
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon chicken broth powder (use vegetable broth powder for a vegetarian version)
- 1 cup roughly torn spinach
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnishing)
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti as per the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Tip – Reserve some water from boiling the pasta. If the final dish gets dry, add this water to fix the consistency.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, make the sauce.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add garlic and onions and saute for 1 minute until the onions are translucent.
- Add bell peppers, tomato paste, cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth powder, and saute for a minute.
- Note – If adding any protein like chicken, shrimp, meatballs, or sausages, add them at this stage and cook them well before adding the next set of ingredients.
- Add spinach and heavy cream and mix everything well.
- Add the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese and toss well using a tong or two large spoons to coat the spaghetti with the sauce.
- Check for salt and add more if required.
- If the pasta looks dry, add some of the reserved water from cooking the pasta and toss well.
- Garnish with more parmesan cheese and serve hot.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!