Description
A budget-friendly, creamy one-pot pasta dish featuring Cajun sausage, rigatoni, and a rich tomato-cream sauce. Perfect for busy families and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Cajun sausage (Andouille or spicy Italian), sliced into half-moons
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Water or chicken broth (enough to cover pasta by half an inch)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in Cajun seasoning and marinara sauce. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add uncooked rigatoni and enough water or chicken broth to cover the pasta by about half an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
- Stir in heavy cream and the cooked sausage. Turn off the heat and stir gently until coated in a creamy sauce. Season with salt if needed and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pot. Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed. For a lighter version, use turkey sausage and half-and-half. If freezing, omit the cream until reheating to prevent separation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 68
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: one-pot meal, budget dinner, family meal, cajun sausage, rigatoni, creamy pasta, easy dinner, meal prep