Take comfort to the max with this Cheesy Baked Cajun Pasta! Penne pasta is combined with a rich cheese sauce with cajun flavors and sliced sausage throughout. It’s filling and comforting!
I can’t believe I’m about to say it, but summer vacation is almost here. My daughter reminds me of it every day. In fact, she has been on countdown mode for several weeks now. 13, 12, 11… Ahhh!
But I am looking forward to summer and slower mornings relaxed schedules. And I’m hoping for lots of summer adventures and lots of ice cream.
But in the meantime, you need to make this Cheesy Baked Cajun Pasta before it’s too hot to turn on the oven. I’m actually a fan of cheesy pasta dishes all summer long, so I could totally see myself making this for a Sunday supper in the middle of July. But that’s just me. 😉
My husband and I both fell in love with this cheesy pasta dish. But I’m slowly discovering that there are very few cheesy pasta dishes that I don’t love! This one is a little different, though, with the cajun spices and the sausage. It is definitely packed with flavor, and definitely packed with comfort!!
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Cheesy Baked Cajun Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Take comfort to the max with this Cheesy Baked Cajun Pasta! Penne pasta is combined with a rich cheese sauce with cajun flavors and sliced sausage throughout. It’s filling and comforting!
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4 oz cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 8 oz extra sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 package (12 oz) kielbasa, sliced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Slowly pour the milk into the onion mixture, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer, then add in the cream cheese and the cajun seasoning. Cook until the cream cheese has softened, then stir in both the cheddar and the gruyere.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in another skillet. Add the kielbasa and cook, turning, until browned on both sides.
- In the pot you used to boil the pasta, combine the drained pasta, the kielbasa and the cheese mixture. Stir to combine, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
- In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and butter until all of the breadcrumbs are coated. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Place into the preheated oven.
- Bake until bubbling and the breadcrumbs have browned, 10-12 minutes. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes:
adapted from Woman’s Day
More Baked Pasta Dishes:
Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells
Beef and Blue Cheese Baked Spaghetti
Baked Ravioli
Healthy Baked Pesto Rigatoni from Pinch of Yum
Mexican Baked Pasta from Aggie’s Kitchen
Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti from Gimme Some Oven
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Elizabeth G. says
Just made this for dinner, and this recipe will be a keeper! I sautéed the sausage and cajun seasoning along with the vegetables. I also used 2-3 times the recipe amount of the seasoning – we like it spicy! So creative to use gruyere and cheddar. Next time, I might try the mixed seafood blend from Trader Joe’s (scallops, shrimp and calamari) in place of sausage for seafood version. Yum! Thank you for posting!
Deborah says
LOVE the idea of using the seafood! I’m so happy you loved it!
Angela says
I made this a few weeks ago and it was great!! I used andouille sausage. I took many many bites before I put it in the oven, and honestly I think I preferred it fresh off the stove rather than baked. So I’ll probably skip the baking step next time. Solid recipe!
Deborah says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Cindy says
Reminds me of my Mama’s Cajun lasagne!
Joanne Bruno says
It is CRAZY that summer vacation is almost here for you guys!! Time is FLYING. I plan on eating cheesy pasta for long after June 21st, though…so bring it on!
Gerry says
Sounds great, but if it is Cajun, why not use Andouille instead of kielbasa? After all, Cajun seasoning alone does not make a dish Cajun. I never use those seasonings. I make my own and I am an old Cajun.
Deborah says
You definitely could use andouille! Kielbasa is easier to find where I live, but a substitution would totally work!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
How creamy, cheesey and delicious! I’m excited about summer but super suprised it’s already here!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Now this is my kinda comfort food! Purely indulgent, hopelessly cheesy, and filled with flavor!
Shawn@ I Wash You Dry says
I love cajun food, and pasta!! And spicy sausage. And cheese. I love everything about this. I just have a weak spot for delicious foods.
Matt says
Pure comfort, absolutely love this!
Liz says
Yum – thank you.
dc says
I will gaze upon it fondly, but never make it. My husband doesn’t eat noodles in any form so unless he’s not home…no pasta for us. *sigh* Looks yummy!