This cajun Pastalaya recipe is a fun twist on Jambalaya, made with pasta instead of rice. It's delicious and comforting, and the best part is it's made in just 30 minutes.
Looking for more pasta recipes? Try this Harissa Pasta, Cajun Chicken Pasta, Baked Ziti, or Short Rib Ragu.
Why I love this recipe:
- 30-Minute Meal – You can't beat a hearty, flavorful, homemade meal for your family in just 30 minutes! Perfect for a busy weeknight or when you don't feel like cooking.
- Comforting – This easy pasta jambalaya recipe is such a perfect comfort meal on a chilly day. It will become one of your staples.
- Family Favorite – This is a huge favorite of my kids. I substitute Polska Kielbasa sausage since it's less spicy, and they eat it up!
How to make Pastalaya:
Brown Meat: Add oil to a large skillet (minimum 12×2’’) or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook, flipping once or twice to brown on all sides (don't cook chicken through). Remove to a bowl then add sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Add to the bowl with the chicken.
Sauté Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium then add remaining oil to the pan, scraping up any leftover browned bits from the pan. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic then sauté for 3 minutes.
Combine: Add basil, Cajun seasoning, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper then stir well to combine. Add chicken broth, water, and dry pasta then bring mixture to a gentle boil. Add reserved meat to the pan. Reduce heat, cover pan with fitted lid, and cook for about 11 minutes. Remove lid to stir once or twice during cooking.
Serve: Serve this creamy pastalaya recipe with a side salad or some crusty bread. If you love this recipe, try my Jambalaya, Instant Pot Jambalaya, and Gumbo!
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Chop the veggies, chicken, and sausage in the morning. It will make this jambalaya pasta recipe such a breeze.
To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
More 30-Minute Meals:
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Recipe
Pastalaya
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons oil , vegetable or canola
- 1 lb andouille sausages* , cut into coins
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 yellow or white onion chopped
- 4 green onions , chopped
- 3 ribs celery , chopped
- 1 green bell pepper , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper , optional, for hotter spice, if desired.
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup water
- 1 lb penne pasta , or Banza chickpea penne
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet (minimum 12×2’’) or dutch oven over medium high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook, flipping once, to brown on all sides (don't cook chicken through). Remove to a bowl. Add sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Add to the bowl with the chicken.
- Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil to the pan, scraping up any leftover browned bits from the pan. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic then sauté for 3 minutes. Add basil, Cajun seasoning, diced tomatoes, salt and pepper then stir well to combine.
- Add chicken broth, water, and dry pasta and bring mixture to a gentle boil. Add reserved meat to the pan. Reduce heat, cover pan with fitted lid, and cook for about 11 minutes. Remove lid to stir once or twice during cooking.
Notes
Macros Recipe Adaptation
3 links andouille sausage, 1 lb. whole wheat pastaPer Serving Amount
430 gramsMacros
471 kcal, Fats 16g, Carbs 42g, Protein 42gNutrition
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made this tonight & for my taste buds it was just ok. i honestly wouldnt make it again, but i also dont care for jambalaya, so if you do this would hit for you.. also 3/4 teaspoon of cajun wouldve been enough for my toddlers, it was spicy for them.. the flavor was all there, it just wasnt for me
The seasonings on this are delicious! We made it for dinner with the chickpea pasta, my husband took it to work for his lunch and everyone commented on how delicious it smelled. We enjoyed it so much we made it again in the same week but used rice since we were out of pasta.
My husband really loved this recipe, but did add extra Cajun seasoning and jalapeno’s to his serving. It is easy to pull together and makes a lot. Thanks for the great challenge recipe!
This was a hit with my family of 7! I made some changes – didn’t have chicken so just used sausage (polska because my kids don’t like spicy), and used less of the cajun seasoning. I also added a can of tomato sauce because I doubled the noodles (family of 7!). Everyone had seconds, so I would call it a success!!
This was a hit with my family of 7! I made some changes – didn’t have chicken so just used sausage (polska because my kids don’t like spicy), and used less of the cajun seasoning. I also added a can of tomato sauce because I doubled the noodles (family of 7!). Everyone had seconds, so I would call it a success!!
Delicious recipe! So full of flavor and it comes together very easily. Perfect weeknight dinner!
LOVE this dinner! The whole house smelled amazing. We used amylu andouille chicken sausage. Love that this is macro-friendly!
Kids and my husband loved this. It was easy and delicious. Those are THE best recipes.
This recipe is easy to put together–with ingredients I almost always already have on hand. The whole family enjoyed this.
I made this for my husband and four daughters yesterday and it was a hit! Multiple helpings, etc. Delicious and flavorful! The Andouille really makes a difference.
simple and easy to put together throughly enjoyed this. especially with issues I have with my jaw this was perfect