Pastalaya is a Louisiana favorite that swaps rice for pasta, creating a hearty, one-pot meal packed with savory sausage, tender chicken, and the Cajun flavors. Simmered in a flavorful broth, Pastalaya is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish that's perfect for gatherings, tailgates, game days, or weeknight dinners.

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Pastalaya Recipe
We've always been fans of Creole cuisine, Cajun food, and traditional jambalaya, so we knew we'd love this easy jambalaya pasta.
It's the best of Creole dishes that uses pasta in place of rice. I mean - I love rice - so I'm not complaining about that. But we also love pasta and this easily one of our favorite dishes.
If you use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, this is a one-pot pasta jambalaya that comes together so easily! Having a Mardi Gras party? This would be a terrific dish to serve to have a taste of New Orleans and pastalaya Cajun-style.
What is Pastalaya?
The first time I ever heard of Pastalaya is when I bought my husband The Cajun Ninja's Cookbook (sold out everywhere, so I have no link for you). So what is pastalaya?
Pastalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish that swaps rice for pasta in a flavorful twist on jambalaya. It features proteins like andouille sausage, chicken, or shrimp, combined with the Cajun "holy trinity" of onions, bell peppers, and celery. Seasoned with bold spices and simmered in broth, it’s a hearty one-pot meal that absorbs rich flavors. A favorite for gatherings and tailgates, pastalaya is an easy, crowd-pleasing dish.
Cajun Ninja Pastalaya
The Cajun Ninja Pastalaya recipe is a shrimp and sausage recipe. The recipe I'm sharing today is a chicken and sausage pastalaya. There are other significant differences but that cookbook inspired me to make this recipe for pastalaya.
Using what I had on hand and making some changes for our tastes, I finally found the perfect pastalaya recipe Cajun-style, loaded with andouille sausage, chicken, and the classic holy trinity of vegetables.
What is the Cajun "Holy Trinity"?
The holy trinity of vegetables in Cajun and Creole cooking consists of
- Onions
- Bell peppers (typically green)
- Celery
This trio is the foundation of many Louisiana dishes, including gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, and pastalaya. Similar to the French mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery), the holy trinity provides a rich, aromatic base that enhances the flavor of Southern and Creole cuisine.
Tools Needed
This easy pastalaya recipe only requires a few basic kitchen tools!
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowl
- Large Pot or large Dutch Oven
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
The ingredients for this Cajun pastalaya recipe are all pretty common and easily found in your local grocery store (except for maybe the creole seasoning if you're not in the South).
Chicken. Chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces work for this recipe. If you want a shortcut, you could use pre-shredded rotisserie chicken. See my Pro Tips below.
Creole Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning. Our favorites are Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's, or Cajun Ninja PI-YAHHHH!! Seasoning.
Olive oil. You could also use vegetable oil, but we're trying to get away from using seed oils when possible.
Smoked sausage. Andouille is traditional but other varieties work just as well. Manda Sausage is a favorite brand in our house.
Yellow Onion
Celery
Green Bell Pepper
Crushed Tomatoes
Chicken Broth. Beef broth also works great here.
Creole Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning
Paprika. If you want a spicier pasta, you could use cayenne pepper instead but it is significantly hotter than paprika, so keep that in mind!
Dry Pasta. Pretty much any type of pasta will work here. We prefer penne pasta but rotini or mini bowties are also excellent choices. We've even used spaghetti noodles!
Heavy Cream. The addition of cream at the end makes for a creamier pasta and adds a touch of richness to this great recipe.
Green Onions
Parsley
Find the complete recipe with ingredients measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Pastalaya
This cajun pasta dish is a mix of all of your favorite jambalaya ingredients, except we're swapping pasta for the rice.
- Sprinkle creole seasoning over the diced chicken breast (or thighs), cover and refrigerate to marinade for an hour up to overnight.
- In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat. You don't want to skimp and use a small pot, or you won't have enough room for this dish.
- Add the chicken pieces, sliced sausage, diced onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the uncooked pasta noodles and stir. Once the pot comes back to a low boil, cover with a lid and turn the heat to low. Stirring once in a while - be sure to stir all the way to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook the pasta until soft, about 10-15 minutes (cook times vary depending on the size and shape of the pasta - keep a check on it so it doesn't get soggy).
- Taste to see if you want to add any salt or pepper. If there’s still too much liquid in about 10 minutes of cooking, you can continue cooking with the lid off.
- Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Heat the creamy sauce for an additional 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat, but be careful that the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan in the last couple of minutes.
- Let the Pastalaya sit in the pot off the heat for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with green onions and parsley, if desired.
Pro Tip
- It will be okay if you don’t think to marinate your chicken beforehand. It adds so much flavor to the chicken, though, if you have the time. If you want to skip the marinating altogether, you can buy a pre-shredded (and seasoned) rotisserie chicken and add it to step #5 when you add the pasta! This saves time and makes this a one-pot dish!
- I don’t have a salt amount listed because everyone’s creole seasoning and broth will have different amounts. I suggest tasting for the salt level when the noodles are almost done and adding more at this point, if needed.
- If you don't have or want to skip the fresh vegetables of the "holy trinity", you could substitute approximately 3.5 cups of Seasoning Blend frozen vegetables. I always keep this in my freezer when I want to skip steps in some cajun recipes.
Variations
This is easily customizable- swap in shrimp instead of one of the meats or in addition to them. Choose a different color bell pepper - use red or yellow instead of green pepper. Use a sweet onion instead of a yellow onion. Choose your favorite pasta shape.
Other garnishes or toppings you might consider are parmesan cheese, sour cream, or hot sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pastalaya recipe is perfect for so many occasions. Next time you need to serve a crowd - pull out this recipe! And the best part is, it's basically a one-pot dish so you won't even mess up the whole kitchen.
Serve it at...
- Mardi Gras Parties
- Game Day
- Super Bowl Party
- Birthday Party
- Family Gatherings
- Tailgaiting
- Pasta Bar
Storage Directions
If you have leftovers from this jambalaya pasta recipe, your family is not as hungry as mine 😉 Haha Either way here's how to save it for later:
- Refrigerate: Let leftover pastalaya cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat as needed. It might even be a little better the next day!
- Reheat: Warm refrigerated pastalaya on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce. If microwaving, heat in short intervals, stirring occasionally. For frozen pastalaya, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
We do not like the texture of pasta after it's been frozen so I do not recommend freezing this Louisiana pastalaya recipe. PS. Happy Mardi Gras!
More Delicious Recipes
PrintRecipe
Cajun Pastalaya Recipe (Jambalaya with Pasta)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Pastalaya is a Louisiana favorite that swaps rice for pasta, creating a hearty, one-pot meal packed with savory sausage, tender chicken, and the Cajun flavors. Simmered in a flavorful broth, Pastalaya is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish that's perfect for gatherings, tailgates, game days, or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning
Pastalaya
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage (andouille) cut on the diagonal
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 pound pasta (penne, rotini, mini bow tie, etc)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 green onions, chopped for garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Chicken
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken, cover and refrigerate to marinade for an hour up to overnight.
Pastalaya
- In a large soup pot heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the chicken, sausage, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta and stir. Once the pot comes back to a boil, cover with a lid and turn the heat to low. Stirring once in a while, cook the pasta until soft, about 12-15 minutes.
- Taste to see if you want to add any salt or pepper. If there’s too much liquid still at about 10 minutes of cooking you can continue cooking with the lid off. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Let the Pastalaya sit in the pot off the heat for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with green onions and parsley, if desired.
Notes
- It will be okay if you don’t think to marinate your chicken beforehand. It adds so much flavor to the chicken, though, if you have the time. If you want to skip the marinating altogether, you can buy a pre-shredded (and seasoned) rotisserie chicken and add it to step #5 when you add the pasta! This saves time and makes this a one-pot dish!
- I don’t have a salt amount listed because everyone’s creole seasoning and broth will have different amounts. I suggest tasting for the salt level when the noodles are almost done and adding more at this point, if needed.
- If you don't have or want to skip the fresh vegetables of the "holy trinity", you could substitute approximately 3.5 cups of Seasoning Blend frozen vegetables. I always keep this in my freezer when I want to skip steps in some cajun recipes.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
Estelle Forrest
Such a clever name! Thank you for sharing this on last week's #SSPS post. I hope to see you again next week, as I will be featuring your recipe.