Description
Louisiana Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Bake delivers Southern comfort straight to your dinner table with bold, zesty flavors. Creamy, cheesy goodness combines spicy sausage and tender shrimp for a hearty meal that’ll have your family asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Base and Binding Ingredients:
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Crank your oven to 375F and grab a large baking dish.
- Boil 8 ounces of penne pasta in salted water until al dente, then thoroughly drain.
- Slice 1 pound of smoked sausage into half-moon shapes and sear in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown edges appear.
- Chop 1 bell pepper and 1 onion into small, uniform pieces. Mince 3 garlic cloves and toss them into the sausage skillet.
- Saute the vegetables for 4-5 minutes until they soften and release their aromatic flavors.
- Add 1 pound of peeled shrimp to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and curl slightly.
- Pour 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 cup of heavy cream into the mixture. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Fold the cooked pasta into the shrimp and sausage mixture, then stir in ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Transfer everything to your prepared baking dish and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
- Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes until the cheese melts completely and develops a golden, crispy surface.
Notes
- Ensure your pasta stays perfectly al dente by cooking it just until firm, as it will continue cooking in the oven during the bake.
- Swap out traditional penne for other pasta shapes like rigatoni or shells to add your own personal twist to the dish.
- For a lighter version, replace heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk and use turkey sausage instead of traditional pork sausage.
- Kick up the heat by adding extra Cajun seasoning or a dash of hot sauce if your family loves bold, spicy flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 190 mg