Easy Homemade Cajun Alfredo Pasta Sauce Recipe
Italian food ranks high on my list of favorites but when you mix it with Cajun cuisine, it gets even better! This simple homemade creamy sauce combines an American traditional alfredo sauce with creole seasoning to make a craveable sauce for a delicious meal the whole family will love. This easy Cajun alfredo sauce recipe is perfect for juicy shrimp, andouille sausage, or a Cajun chicken pasta recipe. Full recipe card below.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
This homemade recipe takes creamy alfredo sauce to a whole new level with the addition of Cajun seasoning for a creamy sauce with a spicy kick. Like other cream sauces it is full of richness all while adding in the bold Cajun flavors of New Orleans. The best part is, this delicious recipe can be made in just 20 minutes for an easy weeknight meal.
Sauce Ingredients
Making your own Cajun alfredo pasta sauce is easier than you think! This spicy homemade sauce recipe is a painless recipe with simple ingredients that anyone can make. I make this sauce often and have experimented with different ingredients, so I will give you my notes and suggestions based on what gives me the best results.
Butter – The first part of most sauces is the roux which is equal parts of butter and flour. Butter is very important to the process and I recommend using real butter and not margarine.
Flour – For this recipe all purpose flour is going to be the second step in the roux and the thickener of the sauce. You can also use cornstarch if you are gluten free, just use 1 tablespoon instead of 2.
Parmesan Cheese – When it comes to flavor, parmesan cheese cannot be beat and it is one of the key ingredients in homemade alfredo sauce. I have made this with both real parmesan cheese and the fake stuff in the green can. I personally think it is better with real cheese, however you can use the jarred powder version in a pinch. Because the fake stuff is very salty I substitute 2 tablespoons for a 1/4 cup of real parmesan cheese. Note, the sauce will be thicker and lumpier with the fake stuff since it has a lot of additives.
Cajun Seasoning – The key ingredient to this spicy alfredo sauce is the Cajun spices. Feel free to use store bought Cajun seasoning blends or use my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe below. If you make your own you can also control the spiciness of the Cajun seasoning. I make mine and keep a jar of it my spice cabinet.
Milk – I always use 2% milk for cooking but you can use whole milk here too. I do not recommend skim milk because it doesn’t have any fat. On the reverse, when I have used heavy cream the sauce was far too thick.
Water – I add a little bit of water to thin the sauce out when mixing this sauce into pasta. It works best with pasta water, but if you forget to reserve some you can use tap water too.
Pasta Noodles – If you are making this sauce to use with pasta, feel free to mix in with your favorite pasta. I typically make mine with penne, spaghetti, or linguine pasta.
Protein – Most often I make this sauce for my Cajun chicken alfredo recipe, but you can make it with other proteins as well. It also makes an excellent andouille sausage pasta or a Cajun shrimp alfredo.
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Easy Homemade Cajun Alfredo Pasta Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 3/4 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This easy spicy alfredo sauce will take your pasta game to the next level! This simple homemade cream sauce combines an American classic alfredo sauce with a Cajun spice mix to make an irresistible pasta sauce! It is ready in 20 minutes and brings bold creole flavors right to your kitchen. It’s the perfect Cajun pasta sauce for easy dinner recipes.
Ingredients
Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Thyme Leaves
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Cajun Sauce
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Milk
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2–4 tbsp Water (if needed)
Instructions
- In a small spice jar or mason jar, combine all the spices for the Cajun seasoning blend. Add a lid and shake to combine and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat.
- Once the butter is completely melted, reduce the heat and slowly mix in the flour stirring constantly. This should yield a smooth paste like texture. This is your roux.
- Then slowly whisk in the Cajun seasoning and the salt. This will create a thick red orange paste.
- Slowly pour in the milk stirring continuously. Increase the heat to medium still stirring until the buttery Cajun roux combines completely with the milk. About a minute or two. Make sure the roux is not sitting on the bottom of the saucepan or it will burn.
- Add the cheese a little at a time stirring until combined. Again make sure the cheese isn’t settling to the bottom and burning.
- Simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. DO NOT allow the sauce to boil. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
- Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the sauce needs thinning out until desired consistency is reached. If you are making this sauce for pasta, reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water for this.
Notes
Note, you will have leftover Cajun spice mix which can be used to season chicken breast or shrimp to add to your pasta dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Creole
Looking for more sauce recipes try my homemade Caribbean jerk sauce, white garlic pizza sauce, spicy kung pao sauce, copycat chipotle aioli, easy teriyaki sauce, or green goddess dressing.
Storage
The best way to store leftover Cajun sauce is in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
When to Make Cajun Pasta Sauce
This sauce is one of my favorite recipes and is easy to whip up on busy weeknights for delicious pasta recipes. BUT, it also makes an incredible pizza sauce (you knew that was coming!) You could even add it to a chicken sandwich. No matter what type of entree you add it to, you will love this spicy cream sauce!
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