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    Home » Pasta

    Cajun Alfredo Sauce with Pasta

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on April 22, 2022, updated May 9, 2024 - 5 Comments

    Total time: 15 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 5 minutes minutes
    5 from 8 votes
    Jump to Recipe

    Make this Cajun Alfredo Sauce for a spicy twist on your basic pasta sauce. All done in 15 minutes with store bought or homemade cajun seasoning and zero chopping, this is a quick, tasty dinner full of flavor.

    cajun alfredo sauce with pasta in a skillet

    A Spicy Twist on Your Classic Pasta Sauce

    Now before you say anything: yes, I know a classic, authentic Alfredo sauce shouldn't have cream. But you know what? It shouldn't have cajun seasoning either, so I have no shame today.

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    If you can get over that fact, you'll love this spicy pasta. It's quick and all done in just 15 minutes, it's super easy to make, and you don't even have to chop anything.

    And to make it even easier? Use store bought cajun seasoning. Or make it yourself, so that you can adjust the level of spiciness just as you like it.

    "I LOVE this recipe! I made this for a family dinner and everyone loved it. I got so many compliments." - Kierstyn

    Use Storebought Seasoning or Make It From Scratch

    ingredients for cajun alfredo sauce

    You really only need 5 ingredients for this recipe: pasta, butter, cream, parmesan cheese and cajun seasoning.

    I used fresh pasta here, just because it's quicker - but you can just as well use dried pasta.

    A Note on Cajun Seasoning

    If you want to make the seasoning from scratch, it's very easy using common spices, and I've included a recipe for it in the recipe card. The benefit of making it yourself is that you can adjust the amount of salt, and how spicy you want it.

    If you use store-bought Cajun seasoning, keep in mind that it can be quite salty. So don't add any salt to start. Taste test the finished dish, then add salt only if needed.

    How to Make It in 15 Minutes - Or Less

    1. Make the Sauce

    To make the sauce, melt butter in a skillet, then pour in cream. Add homemade or storebought Cajun seasoning, then mix well and simmer 5 minutes.

    Mixing in seasoning with cajun alfredo sauce.

    2. Thicken the Sauce

    To thicken the sauce, we'll use pasta cooking water. Yes, that's right! No need to add any flour or corn starch, pasta water has so much starch, and much more flavor. So just add that liquid gold, then allow to simmer 1 minute more.

    Adding apsta cooking water to cajun alfredo.

    3. Add Pasta & Cheese

    Finally, mix in the pasta, then remove from the heat and mix in shredded Parmesan cheese. It's important to remove the pan from the heat first, as we're adding a lot of cheese and want to avoid clumps. These can arise if the cheese is heated too fast.

    Taste test, and you are ready to serve!

    Adding cheese to cajun alfredo pasta.

    What to Do with Leftovers

    This dish is best eaten fresh. The fat tends to separate when reheating, so I recommend finishing it all straight away. However, you can eat leftovers as well - they're just not as nice.

    Storing & reheating leftovers: Store the sauce separate from the pasta, and reheat gently to avoid separating.

    Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    I don't recommend freezing this sauce as it tends to separate.

    cajun alfredo sauce with pasta in a bowl

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    Recipe

    cajun alfredo sauce with pasta in a bowl

    Cajun Alfredo Sauce

    5 from 8 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: North American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 1059kcal
    Prep time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook time: 10 minutes mins
    Total time: 15 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup butter salted or unsalted
    • 1½ cup heavy cream
    • 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning store bought or 1 batch of included recipe
    • 1 lb fresh pasta cooked 1 minute less than package instruction; or dried pasta
    • ¾ cup pasta cooking water
    • 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

    Cajun seasoning

    • ½ tablespoon paprika powder regular or smoked
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon fine table salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more for a spicier version

    To serve

    • paprika powder optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Mix together the spices for the cajun seasoning in a small bowl.
      ½ tablespoon paprika powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon fine table salt, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
      ½ cup butter
    • Pour in the cream and bring to a simmer.
      1½ cup heavy cream
    • Add the cajun seasoning and mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes.
      2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
    • Add pasta cooking water and mix, simmer for 1 minute, then mix in the pasta.
      ¾ cup pasta cooking water, 1 lb fresh pasta
    • Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the shredded Parmesan cheese.
      2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
    • Taste test, and adjust seasoning as needed. Top with paprika powder to serve.
      paprika powder

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Skillet
    • Pasta pot*
    • Measuring spoons*
    • Measuring cups (metric or US)*
    • Whisk*
    • Small bowl

    Notes

     
    •  
     

    Tips & tricks

    • Make your own cajun seasoning for the most flexibility. This way you can adjust the saltiness & spiciness as you like.
    • Cajun seasoning can be very salty. If using store bought seasoning, only add salt if needed after tasting the finished dish.
    • Add the cheese last, after removing from the heat, to avoid clumps and the sauce breaking.
    • This dish is best eaten fresh as the fat will often separate when reheating
    • Store sauce separate from pasta and reheat gently to avoid separating
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
    • I don't recommend freezing this sauce as it tends to separate

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1059kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 288mg | Sodium: 1407mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3435IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 546mg | Iron: 5mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily H

      February 10, 2024 at 4:55 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I added some Garlic Power hot sauce to my bowl and it was perfect. I used a premade Cajun seasoning (Target brand). It’s so easy - I know we will make this again.

      Reply
    2. kierstyn barton

      December 23, 2023 at 3:00 am

      5 stars
      I LOVE this recipe! I made this for a family dinner and everyone loved it. I got so many compliments.

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        January 02, 2024 at 6:40 pm

        Yey Kierstyn! Happy it turned out well for you. /Emmeline

        Reply
    3. Genger White

      May 28, 2023 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      This was such a great base!! I added cheddar cheese, Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheese to the sauce. Then fried up sausage, onions, and peppers and added some grilled chicken. I also used fat penne pasta! I had to use what I had in hand! So delicious. Thank you for the recipe!!

      Reply
      • Jerry Ogden

        May 27, 2024 at 1:06 pm

        So you made your own recipe......

        Reply
    5 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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