This Cajun Alfredo brings together the richness of a classic cream sauce with bold Cajun seasoning, smoky andouille sausage, and sauteed peppers and onion. It is a one skillet dish that takes about 30 minutes start to finish.
Cajun Alfredo Sauce
A spiced Alfredo sauce with Cajun seasoning, andouille sausage, and bell peppers in a creamy Parmesan base.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into coins
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 pound fettuccine or penne, cooked
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the bell peppers and onion. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Push the vegetables to one side and melt the butter in the empty half of the pan.
- Pour in the cream and stir everything together. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Lower the heat and whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust the heat level.
- Return the sausage to the pan and stir to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper, toss with the cooked pasta, and top with parsley before serving.
Notes
Andouille sausage is already well seasoned, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt. The sausage and Parmesan together provide a lot of sodium.
Adjust the Cajun seasoning based on the brand you use. Some blends are much spicier than others. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more after tasting.
How This Differs From Classic Alfredo
The base sauce here is the same butter, cream, and Parmesan from our homemade Alfredo sauce, with Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika added at the end. The real difference is the additions: andouille sausage, bell peppers, and onion cooked in the same pan before the sauce comes together. These ingredients build flavor into the pan itself, and the cream picks all of it up when it goes in.
Building Flavor in the Pan
Searing the sausage first leaves browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. When the butter and cream go in later, those bits dissolve into the sauce and add a depth that you would not get from just stirring sausage into a finished sauce. This is the same principle used in our chicken Alfredo sauce recipe.
Choosing the Right Cajun Seasoning
Cajun seasoning blends vary a lot by brand. Some are mild and primarily paprika based. Others are heavy on cayenne and very hot. Taste the blend on its own before adding it to the sauce, and start with less than you think you need since you can always add more once the sauce is finished.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding too much salt before tasting. Andouille and Parmesan are both salty. Taste the sauce before seasoning.
- Not cooking the peppers long enough. Undercooked peppers stay crunchy in a cream sauce, which most people find unpleasant. Give them 4 to 5 minutes over medium high heat.
- Adding the Cajun seasoning too early. Spices added to butter or cream before it has thickened can taste raw. Add them once the sauce is nearly done.
Storage
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sausage and peppers reheat well. Use the method from our how to reheat Alfredo sauce page, low heat with a splash of cream to loosen.