Pastalaya Recipe

A cast-iron skillet hot off the stove with steaming hot pastalaya.

All the cozy flavors of jambalaya mixed with satisfying pasta are what make this recipe amazing. An easy Cajun one-pot meal, you'll be putting this recipe on repeat, guaranteed.

Course dinner, Main

Cuisine Cajun, Creole, Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 540kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1 12-ounce package fettuccine (or whatever pasta you desire)
1 pound (450g) Andouille sausage, thinly sliced (or other smoked sausage)
2 boneless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound (450g) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (28g) neutral-flavored cooking oil
2 tablespoons (30g) Creole seasoning, divided
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup (60g) chopped green bell pepper
½ cup (60g) chopped red bell pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (1-2g) minced thyme
1 plum tomato, diced
1 cup (240ml) low-sodium chicken broth (or 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon)
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 green onions, chopped (optional for garnish)
lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then, cook the fettuccine to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, and leave the drippings in the skillet.
Lightly season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and about ½ teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Cook the seasoned shrimp in the same pan, stirring frequently, until just pink, about two minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Season chicken with 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook it in the cast-iron skillet for 4-5 minutes, stirring a time or two until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Add some more oil to the pan if needed. Transfer to the same plate as the sausage and shrimp.
Add oil to the skillet, then sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and thyme, stirring occasionally, until barely soft, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and the remaining Creole seasoning. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
Next, pour in the cream and chicken broth. Stir well. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cooked pasta and reserved ½ cup pasta water to the simmering sauce. Stir the pasta in until it's coated with the sauce. Add sausage, shrimp, chicken, and cooking liquid; stir to combine, and cook for about 3 minutes—season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with the optional green onion and lemon wedges, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

A cast iron skillet is better at regulating temperatures, which is helpful when you sauté ingredients in batches, as we do for pastalaya.
Add more oil as needed. If your pan starts looking dry or your ingredients start sticking as you sauté, add a little more oil or butter to keep things from sticking and burning.
Try some time savers. If you want to whip this up extra fast, pick up some pre-chopped "trinity" veggies (celery, onion, bell pepper) at the grocery store to reduce prep time. Leftover and pre-cooked meats only need to be warmed through.
Please remember that the nutritional data is a rough estimate and can vary immensely depending on the ingredients used in this recipe.

Nutrition