Easy Cajun Alfredo Sauce (Add Any Protein!)
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.
Servings 4
Calories 1059kcal
Equipment
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning store bought or 1 batch of the included recipe; use less to make it less spicy
- 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
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
Notes
Go easy on the spices. If you want to be sure it does not come out too spicy, start with half the cajun seasoning and add more as needed towards the end.
Do add the pasta water. This is full of starch and the best way to thicken sauces for pasta and helps the sauce coat the pasta really well. Easier and quicker than adding flour!
Is your sauce too thin? Simmer a minute longer until it reaches your desired consistency.
Is your sauce too thick? Add a bit more pasta cooking water.
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. 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.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 good. 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.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