August 28, 2020
Easy, breezy, Dairy Free Cajun Chicken Pasta! Made with chicken, pasta and veggies that’s all coated in a creamy cajun seasoned sauce. So delicious!
This recipe has been around in some version or another in my kitchen for YEARS. Way before Eating at Altitude even existed, I found a creamy cajun pasta recipe on Pinterest. Fast forward a few years and In typical Alex fashion, I needed to figure out a way to make this creamy dish sans dairy and after many failed attempts using nut milks I ended up using my cashew cream alfredo base! And Voila! This pasta reached perfection.
Cashew Cream Tips
- Use raw, not roasted, cashews. Roasted cashews will give the cream a nutty, cashew-y flavor. Though I love cashews, that’s not what we’re going for here. By contrast, raw cashews yield a neutral creamy taste, which is delicious in all sorts of savory recipes.
- To soak or not to soak? That is the question, and the answer depends on your blender. If you have a high-speed blender, there’s no need to soak cashews. However, if you have a less powerful blender, I do recommend soaking cashews for at least 4 hours. Just place the cashews in a bowl, cover them with water, and set them aside. After they’ve soaked, drain and rinse the cashews and proceed with the recipe below. Otherwise, your cream will be grainy.
- Invest in a high-powered blender. If you’re someone who plans to make homemade basics like cashew cream frequently, getting a powerful blender is totally worth it. You’ll be able to create plant-based milks and sauces at a moment’s notice, and they’ll be creamier than they would be with another blender, regardless of whether or not you soak any nuts ahead of time. I use a Vitamix, but I’ve also heard good things about high-speed Blendtec and KitchenAid blenders.
Ingredients you’ll need for this Cajun Pasta
- Andouille sausage
- Gluten Free Pasta
- Avocado Oil
- Bell Peppers
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Cajun Seasoning
- Cashew Cream
- Chicken Stock
- lemon Juice
- Fresh Parsley for garnish
Dairy Free Creamy Cajun Pasta
Dairy Free & Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 12 oz Andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 12 oz box gluten free pasta
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 C bell peppers, sliced I recommend red & yellow
- 1/2 C yellow onion, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (1 3/4 tbsp if using pre-minced garlic)
- 1 ½ -2 Tbsp cajun seasoning Varies for spice preference
- 1 ½ C Cashew Cream (1 ½ raw Cashews + 1 C water)
- 1 ½ C chicken Stock
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt to taste
Instructions
- First, Make your cashew cream. I recommend boiling your cashews in a little water 2-3 minutes to allow them to soften. This step is not required but I do believe it contributes to the creaminess of your sauce.Drain cashews & add to blender or food processor with a fresh cup of water. (do not use the water that was boiling with the cashews). Blend until smooth.
- Boil water & cook pasta based on box instructions
- In a Large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions & peppers and cook for 4-5 minutes. Veggies should begin to soften.
- Add the sliced sausage to the pan. Sausage should only need 2-3 minutes to cook through.
- To the pan add minced garlic & cajun seasoning. For the cajun seasoning, I recommend starting with 1.5 Tbsp and increasing to taste based on desired spiciness). Toss to coat veggies with seasoning.
- Add chicken stock & use a spatula to deglaze the pan before adding in lemon juice & cashew cream. Mix to combine the stock & cashew cream.
- Lower the heat of the stove to low-medium & Allow the sauce to simmer for 1-2 minutes to thicken. Watch closely. Taste the sauce & salt + additional cajun seasoning, if desired.
- Finally, add the cooked pasta to the pan of sauce & toss to coat. Garnish with fresh parsley & enjoy!
Notes
Kid Friendly: The Sauce & sausage in this recipe may be too spicy for little palettes. Set aside cooked pasta & sauteed peppers for a deconstructed version of this recipe.
To Make Whole30: Use 4 Cups Cooked spaghetti squash instead of pasta.
To make vegetarian: eliminate sausage & replace chicken stock with vegetable stock!
