This quick and easy Creamy Spicy Pasta recipe tosses your favorite pasta in a rich and smoky Cajun-inspired cream sauce. It comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it easy to whip up a batch whenever you’re craving a comforting pasta dinner with a kick!
Table of Contents
When my Creamy Garlic Sauce gets together with classic Cajun cuisine’s bold and smoky flavors, you get this Creamy Spicy Pasta recipe. It’s a perfect meal for spice lovers or anyone looking to change up their typical pasta night. Best of all, it’s quick and easy to make!
A homemade Cajun cream sauce is the star of this boldly flavored meal. It has just the right amount of heat and plenty of richness to keep you coming back for more. Not a spicy food fan? Don’t worry—thanks to a mix of Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, and heavy cream, the flavors are pleasantly warming and won’t set your mouth on fire.
Toss the sauce with your favorite pasta and enjoy as-is or customize it to your liking. There’s lots of room for vegetables, chicken, shrimp, and other tasty add-ins here. Have fun with this one—you’ll love it!
Reader
Love
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! The Cajun seasoning is amazing. I’ll definitely be making this again
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Ingredient notes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- Shallot and garlic cloves
- Tomato paste
- Crushed fire-roasted tomatoes – Make sure to puree them ahead of time to give the sauce a velvety consistency that clings to the pasta.
- Cajun seasoning – This gives the dish its defining bold, spicy flavors. You can buy a pre-made seasoning blend or make your own using my Homemade Cajun Seasoning Recipe.
- Paprika – Use smoked paprika for a little more heat or regular (sweet) paprika to keep things mild.
- Red pepper flakes
- Heavy cream – It balances the spiciness and helps create a luxuriously silky texture. Half-and-half also works if you’re looking for a lighter option.
- Parmesan cheese – You can use pre-grated cheese in a pinch, but you can’t beat the taste and quality of parmesan grated from the block.
- Pasta
- Salt and pepper
How to make creamy spicy pasta
- Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the rest. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots and sauté until they’re soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook until you can smell the garlicky goodness.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Heat the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir the heavy cream and parmesan into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat the noodles in the sauce. Pour in more pasta cooking water to thin the sauce as needed.
- Serve the warm Cajun pasta in bowls with extra parmesan and red pepper flakes on top. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Only boil the pasta until it’s al dente (tender with a slightly firm bite). The noodles will continue to cook when they’re added to the skillet with the sauce and you don’t want them to overcook or become mushy.
- The starchy pasta cooking water is the secret to a velvety pasta sauce that sticks to the noodles. Don’t forget to save some before draining the rest!
- Creamy pasta recipes like this Cajun pasta are best served right away. If it sits too long, the pasta will absorb too much sauce, become soggy, and lose its luxurious consistency.
Variations
There’s some room for meat and vegetables in this pasta dinner. Here’s what I recommend adding:
- Meat – Stir pre-cooked bacon, crumbled chorizo, sliced kielbasa or andouille sausage, or shredded chicken into the finished pasta.
- Seafood – Add in cooked shrimp, scallops, or lump crab meat.
- Vegetables – Sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, green peas, or spinach would be delicious here.
Serving suggestions
Any pasta you like goes here, from spaghetti to penne to gnocchi. Even gluten-free pasta would be delicious!
To complete the meal, pair your creamy Cajun pasta with any of these side dishes:
- Or any of these 40+ Easy Side Dishes for Pasta
FAQs
The Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes give this dish a moderate amount of heat. If that sounds too spicy for you, add the seasonings to taste until you’ve reached your desired spice level. Or, to make it extra spicy, add extra red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
Yes! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta and you’re all set.
Storing
- Refrigerate the leftover creamy spicy pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, add a splash of cream or milk to the bowl of pasta and microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between, until heated through. Or, reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
Erin’s wine pairings
Opt for wines that balance the bold, Cajun-inspired flavors of the dish:
- Look for a crisp, aromatic white wine with enough body to stand up to the richness of the cream and spices. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling are all great choices.
- If you prefer a red, opt for lighter reds with good acidity to complement the spicy heat, such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.
More easy weeknight pasta recipes
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Full Recipe
Creamy Spicy Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14.5 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (or regular crushed tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 12 ounces pasta (cooked according to package directions)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Red pepper flakes and parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, heat the 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 shallot and cook for 3-5 minutes, until softened. Add 3 cloves garlic and cook 30 seconds longer, until fragrant.
- Add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste and continue to cook 1 minute longer.
- Add in 1 14.5 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning and Pinch red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, while the pasta cooks.
- While sauce simmers, add your 12 ounces pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. 1 – 2 minutes less than called for on the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- To your sauce, add the 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the pasta and stir to combine. Add pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce a bit.
- Top with additional parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Only boil the pasta until it’s al dente (tender with a slightly firm bite). The noodles will continue to cook when they’re added to the skillet with the sauce and you don’t want them to overcook or become mushy.
- The starchy pasta cooking water is the secret to a velvety pasta sauce that sticks to the noodles. Don’t forget to save some before draining the rest!
- Creamy pasta recipes like this Cajun pasta are best served right away. If it sits too long, the pasta will absorb too much sauce, become soggy, and lose its luxurious consistency.
- Refrigerate the leftover creamy spicy pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, add a splash of cream or milk to the bowl of pasta and microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between, until heated through. Or, reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
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