{One Pot} Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

Spicy sausage and tender shrimp make this Jambalaya Pasta a dinner that’ll leave everyone asking for seconds. This saucy one-pot pasta is a weeknight dinner you are going to love.

This dish is loaded with fantastic flavor from Cajun spices. Both the kids and the adults in this house agree it’s a hit!

Jambalaya Pasta

The components of jambalaya are so well suited to serving with pasta. We love all kinds of noodle-based dishes, from simple Italian-inspired classics like Spaghetti and Marinara to Mongolian Beef with Noodles, and our beloved Stir-Fry Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables.

I’m always looking for interesting takes on pasta, since I know everyone in my family likes it. Recently, I posted this Cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake and Mexican Baked Pasta.

When I saw this recipe for Jambalaya Pasta in my friend Valerie’s new cookbook, The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker, I marked it to try first. This cookbook is full of both slow-cooker and one-pot recipes that are sure to make your meal planning easier.

And I’m happy to report that this first recipe I tried did not disappoint. I’ve already made it again, just to have more leftovers for my lunches!

What is Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a classic Cajun dish that consists of chicken, shrimp, and sausage all cooked together in one pot, usually with rice. It’s a little like a stew, thick and completely satisfying with every bite.

Instead of rice, this Jambalaya recipe uses pasta. The version I’m sharing today has been a hit with everyone who’s tried it.

I’ve made it a couple of times now and I’m super happy to tell you it actually tastes even better the next day. I made it the second time, just to have it in the fridge for a few easy reheatable lunches.

Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

With andouille sausage, shrimp, and chicken, this recipe is perfect for meat lovers. The meat is skillet browned with Cajun spices and the shrimp is simmered in a cream sauce with chicken broth and tomato.

Everything comes together in one pot with cooked noodles along with cooked bell peppers, onion, and garlic. I served this in big bowls and everyone ate it with enthusiasm.

This jambalaya pasta recipe is so warming and comforting – perfect for these cooler autumn nights we’re enjoying lately! 

If you like this Jambalaya Pasta recipe, you also want to try Cajun Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo, Creamy Cajun Pasta, and Cajun Tasso with Herbed Potatoes!

Can I substitute kielbasa sausage for andouille sausage?

Yes! It’s an easily accessible and often more affordable option. We enjoyed the andouille sausage in the original recipe but any smoked sausage would work well, too.

If you’ve been reading here for a while, you’ll have noticed that kielbasa is a frequent ingredient in our meals. Affordable and versatile, it’s a meat I almost always have in the fridge.

The spicy smoky flavors pair well with light fresh shrimp, like in this Kielbasa and Shrimp Fried Rice and are also a natural fit for jambalaya.

This recipe makes a good amount of food. Even so, I double the amount of shrimp and use the full amount of sausage in the recipe because my family is full of meat-eaters.

You might find you don’t need the full 14 ounces of sausage. If you’re feeding a family, I recommend starting with the full amount and then adjusting from there each time you make it.

It’s so good that I’m sure you’ll want to make Jambalaya Pasta over and over again!

One of the things I love about cooking the same favorite recipes regularly is that with time they become perfectly customized to you and your family’s own taste. I’ve already made a few adjustments to the original recipe from the cookbook based on what we like.

My kids are big on spicy flavors, for example, so I punched up the seasoning to a medium heat – you can do this too, by adding an extra teaspoon or so of Cajun spices. If you like less heat, start with the amount listed in the recipe below.

Jambalaya Pasta Recipe

1. Drizzle 1 tbsp oil into a large deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven and place it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Spread across the pot and cook for 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir and cook an additional minute or two. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl next to the stove.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pot and then add the chicken. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of Cajun spices and stir to coat. Cook for 3 minutes, stir and continue cooking for a couple more minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Stir and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the sausage.
3. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and remaining 2 teaspoons of spices to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the liquids. Stir, reduce to a simmer and cover with lid. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the lid, stir to separate the pasta as needed. Add the cream and shrimp. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes, until the shrimp is pinkish-orange and cooked through and the pasta is cooked to al-dente.
5. Add the sausage, chicken, and vegetables back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, only if needed. Sprinkle generously with fresh parsley. Remove from the heat and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

One-Pot Pasta

Raise your hand if you hate doing dishes as much as I do.

I admit it. For all the cooking and baking I do, I’ve hardly learned to tolerate the clean-up. That’s why I’m a huge fan of homemade recipes that use just a few dishes.

In this case, you only need one pan to make jambalaya pasta.

My 20 Minute One Pot Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil has saved me many nights when I needed to get dinner on the table in a flash (and may or may not have remembered to wash the lunch dishes).

This Cheesy One-Pot Pasta with Parmesan and Pine Nuts as another one-pot dinner I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

One-pot pasta recipes not only save clean up effort and time, but they also save space. If you’re cooking in a small space or sharing a kitchen with other cooks, recipes that don’t use every burner at once are essential.

You could also make this recipe gluten-free by serving with your favorite gluten-free noodles or over rice instead of pasta. (Just be sure your chicken broth and cajun seasoning mix are gluten-free too.)

Now that we live in Ohio where we’ll experience “real” winter, I can’t wait to fill our dinner menus with hearty soups, chilis, and stews of all kinds. We’re pulling out the sweaters, getting the slow cooker ready and so excited to see the seasons change!

{originally published 9/9/19 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/16/22}