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Vegetarian Cajun Pasta
Vegetarian Cajun Pasta is a creamy, flavorful pasta dish made with pasta and fresh veggies in a rich, velvety sauce flavored with Cajun spices. It is spicy, delicious, and easy to make in 30 minutes. This creamy Cajun pasta recipe with homemade Cajun seasoning makes a comforting meal, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 oz mini penne pasta uncooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 small red onion sliced or diced
- 1 bell pepper sliced or diced, using mix of red, green and orange
- 1 Roma tomato chopped
- ¼ cup green peas using frozen, thawed
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano (freshly grated, plus more for serving)
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley or fresh parsley for serving
Spices
- 1½ - 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika or red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper adjust to taste
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
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Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil (I add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water), then cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. When it's done cooking, drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté for about 2-3 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
- Add garlic, green peas, and sauté again for 2 minutes or until the raw garlic smell disappears.
- Turn heat to medium-low and stir in the spices and tomato paste. Mix well and cook for a minute. Deglaze with ¼ cup water (or pasta water) (if needed).
- Add cream and mix until everything is well combined. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Add cheese and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens, forming a creamy Cajun pasta sauce.
- Then add the tomatoes and cooked pasta. Mix well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust any seasoning if needed. Turn off the heat. Creamy Vegetarian Cajun Pasta is ready to serve!
- Serve Cajun pasta garnished with more parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Cajun Seasoning: You can use storebought or homemade cajun spice mix. I've included the recipe for homemade cajun spice blend in the post.
Adjust spice level: Add more cajun seasoning, paprika, or chili flakes, or reduce it to make it less spicy.
Add salt if needed: Most store-bought cajun seasonings are heavy on salt, so depending on which one you are using, taste the sauce first and add salt only if needed.
Make it Creamy (Or Not): Add heavy cream or half and half to make this pasta creamy. If you don't prefer it to be creamy, you can skip the cream, too. The cajun pasta is delicious even without cream, but the cream helps balance the heat.
Sauce consistency: Add more cream (about half a cup) if you prefer a saucy consistency. Add more parmesan cheese if you prefer a thicker cajun pasta sauce. Just note that the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Customize Veggies: This recipe can be customized with additional vegetables for a more heartier, nutritious, and vibrant dish. Add spinach, kale, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, cherry tomatoes, or mushrooms such as oysters, cremini, buttons, or shiitake.
Add Protein: Add tofu, canned chickpeas, vegan sausage, or edamame to this recipe to keep it vegetarian. Or you can also go for more traditional pairings like Chicken and shrimp.
Nutrition
Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2705IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 2mg
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