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Very close up of a pieces of halibut cut in half over succulent creamy cajun pasta

Cajun Pasta

This Cajun Pasta is spicy, flavorful, so easy to make and so hearty. We love serving it with Cajun Fish for a full meal that's basically cooked in one pot. If you're looking for a new pasta recipe with a kick, this cajun pasta recipe is so satisfying, quick and easy!
Course main, Main Course, Main Dish, Pasta
Cuisine American, cajun, French
Keyword cajun, cajun pasta, cajun pasta recipe, cajun recipes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 401 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

Fish

  • 2 Halibut fillets defrosted

Cajun Spice Blend (or use store bought)

  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper or to taste

Cajun Sauce

  • 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
  • 1 onion minced
  • 1 bell pepper any colour, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups fire roasted tomatoes diced (with our without jalapeños)
  • 1/2 cup stock or water
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning above
  • 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes optional
  • 2 tablespoons Cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro minced

Pasta

  • 1 pack pasta of your choice cooked

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix all the cajun seasoning blend. You can also use store bought.
    A hand holding a plate of homemade cajun seasoning ingredients including some smoked paprika, some salt, pepper , oregano, some garlic and onion powders
  2. Season the fish on both sides with some of the cajun blend, reserving the rest for the sauce.
    a hand holding cajun seasoned fish or chicken on both sides
  3. Preheat a skilet over medium high heat and add in the oil.
  4. Sear the fish on all sides until charred. Make sure to sear the sides as well.
    charred and seared cajun spiced halibut or chicken in a skillet
  5. Remove the fish from the skillet and use it to make the sauce.
  6. Add in the onions and bell peppers and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
    In the same skillet the cajun pasta sauce is cooking by sautéing onions and bell peppers
  7. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
  8. Add in the fire roasted diced tomatoes. You can use the spicy tomatoes with jalapeños or plain one. Add the water or stock.
    the fire roasted tomatoes along with homemade cajun seasoning is added to the skillet
  9. Cook the tomatoes for 5 minutes, add in the cajun seasoning and cook for another minutes before adding the fish back.
  10. Cook the halibut in the cajun sauce for 5 minutes over medium low heat until the fish has cooked through.
    the chicken or halibut is retuned back to sauce to simmer and finish cooking if needed
  11. At that point add int he cream cheese to the skillet and it will dissolve into the sauce making it creamy. Cook the sauce for another 2-3 minutes.
  12. Taste the seasoning of the sauce and when it’s ready, remove the fish from the skillet.
    penne pasta cooked according to the package instructions
  13. Add in the cooked pasta and toss it well to coat it in the cajun sauce.
    the pasta is added to the cajun sauce right away and tossed
  14. Serve the cajun pasta on a plate and top that with the cajun fish.
  15. Garnish with extra cilantro if you like.
    A plate of cajun pasta with plenty of cajun sauce and topped with a cajun halibut for extra protein surrounded by a vase with flowers
  16. Enjoy and Bon appetit

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Cajun Pasta Tips

  1. Make your own homemade cajun seasoning if you want to control the spice. Also if you want to control the saltiness of your dish. It's so easy and the full recipe is included below.
  2. Use your favorite type of protein such as chicken breast or fish.
  3. If using fish, make sure the fillet is firm. Something like Halibut, Mahi Mahi, or Cod work great here. Shrimp cajun pasta is another great variation to make.
  4. Likewise, penne is our favorite pasta shape to suck up all the sauce!
  5. We love fire roasted tomatoes with chillies as they add a kick of spice and charred flavor to the sauce. Rotel is what we used, but feel free to use what you like.
  6. It's best to use a large skillet for this recipe as this is a one pot meal. This also ensures a flavorful sauce when you use the same skillet.
  7. When searing the fish or chicken, make sure all sides are charred well.
  8. If the chicken or fish haven't fully cooked, they have a chance to cook when they're placed back in the sauce. SO don't worry about fully cooking the protein initially with the charring step.
  9. Add as much or as little cream cheese as you like. We love a medium creamy cajun sauce. Not too creamy and not to red, so we used 2 Tablespoons.
  10. To avoid breaking the fish or chicken into chunks when adding the pasta, it's best to remove it from the pan. After tossing the pasta well into the cajun sauce, serve the protein on top.

What to Serve with Cajun Pasta?

We love a bright light salad here. Something like Creamy Cucumber Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad, Wedge Salad. If you love breads with the pasta, our Cornbread Recipe is a MUST!

Can I make Cajun Pasta in Advance?

YES! You can prepare the sauce and protein, and store that in the fridge for up to 5 days. On the day of, simply reheat the sauce, cook the pasta and assemble the dish. Likewise you can freeze the sauce and protein without pasta for upto 2 months. Thaw and reheat in a skillet too. It's best not to freeze with the pasta as it soaks up all the sauce.

Nutrition Facts
Cajun Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 401 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 98mg33%
Sodium 772mg34%
Potassium 1101mg31%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 37g74%
Vitamin A 4623IU92%
Vitamin C 85mg103%
Calcium 138mg14%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.