Creole Jambalaya Pasta (Pastalaya) with Smoked Sausage, Peppers, & Onions
This quick Creole jambalaya pasta recipe brings all the bold flavors of jambalaya to a one-pot pasta sauce. The "holy trinity" of peppers, onions, and celery are sauteed with garlic, spices, and smoked sausage, then tossed with fresh or canned diced tomatoes and simmered into a quick homemade pastalaya sauce. Big flavors from the Big Easy!
Equipment
- cutting board & sharp knife
- pasta pot & strainer
- 10"-12" skillet
Ingredients
- 16 oz farfalle, penne, or fettucine or your choice of pasta pairing
- 8 oz hot smoked sausage (andouille or spicy polish-style smoked sausage)
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 stalks celery washed & small diced or thinly sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced or cut in strips
- 2-3 medium banana peppers or one red bell pepper thinly cut on bias, or diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups diced tomatoes about 4-6 paste type tomatoes, or use a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes or tomato-pepper blend
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- ½-1½ tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning to taste
- ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- ½ tsp dried thyme leaves (substitute ¾-1 tsp fresh thyme)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
Instructions
prep ingredients
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Peel and chop the onion into small to medium dice (1/4″-1/2″). Small dice will cook faster and make a less chunky sauce. Peel and chop the garlic and set aside (you can use jar garlic here if you don’t have fresh).
- Wash and dice your celery. You can slice them across the stalks into 1/4″-1/2″ crescents, or split them first into sticks and then into an even dice… again, it’s up to you, just adjust cooking time for larger/thicker pieces!
- Wash the peppers, trim the seeds and stem, and cut into thin strips or large diced pieces. If you are using fresh tomatoes, trim the cores and cut into large dice.
- Cut the smoked sausage into 1/4″ coins or cut them in half and then slice into 1/2″ thick moon shapes.
saute sauce components
- Heat a large 10-12" skillet over medium heat. Add butter, then onions, salt, and black pepper. Stir and sweat onions for 1-2 minutes until they start to go translucent.
- Add sliced sausage & brown, then add celery, garlic powder, & cajun seasoning to the pan.
- Add diced & sliced bell and sweet or hot peppers, continuing to stir frequently.
- Add the sliced garlic once the peppers have softened, stir and saute for one minute, then add the diced tomatoes.
cook pasta
- Drop the pasta into the boiling salted water just before adding the tomatoes to the sauce, stir, and set a timer for 11-13 minutes (or the time recommended by the pasta manufacturer for the shape that you are cooking).
- Test the pasta at the minimum time, and turn off the heat when the pasta is al dente (just cooked through but still firm).
- Drain the pasta, reserving a cup or so of the pasta water.
mix pasta
- Return the drained pasta to the pot, toss with the fresh parsley, a small splash (about ⅓ cup) of the pasta water, and the sausage and pepper sauce.
- Stir and fold the sauce into the cooked pasta, tossing until well combined. Add additional pasta water if needed to bring the sauce together and coat the pasta.
- Plate, and dress the bowls of pasta with freshly grated black pepper and a light sprinkle of flaky sea or kosher salt to taste if needed.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
