Best Pastalaya For A Crowd Recipes

CREAMY CAJUN PASTALAYA

Creamy Cajun Pastalaya image

Creamy Cajun Pastalaya - just like jambalaya but better, made with pasta instead and with a creamy sauce and Fontina cheese. Great crowd pleaser and super simple!

Provided by Joanna Cismaru

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

12 ounce dry pasta (I used mafalda)
8 ounce shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 tablespoon cajun spice
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounce chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into small bite size pieces, about 1 large chicken breast)
1 andouille sausage ( or smoked sausage, cut into slices)
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 red bell pepper (julienned)
1/2 green bell pepper (julienned)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (julienned)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
1 cup Fontina cheese (shredded)
3 green onions (chopped)
2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Steps:

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Season the shrimp with about 1/2 tbsp of the cajun seasoning and set aside.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven heat the olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until it turns pink, about 2 min per side, could be less depending on the size of your shrimp. Remove the shrimp from the pot and set aside.
Add the chicken and sausage to the pot, and sprinkle about 1 tbsp of the cajun seasoning over the chicken. Stir everything together and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion, celery and garlic to the skillet and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add all the peppers and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tbsp of cajun seasoning over the peppers, stir well and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet, stir and season with salt and pepper if needed. Add the shrimp back to the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the cooked pasta and about 1/2 cup of the shredded Fontina cheese. Stir everything together.
Remove from heat, then garnish with the remaining Fontina cheese, green onions and parsley. The pasta will continue to soak up the sauce.
Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftover for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 529 kcal, Carbohydrate 49 g, Protein 31 g, Fat 22 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Cholesterol 175 mg, Sodium 833 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 3 g, ServingSize 1 serving

CAJUN PASTALAYA

Cajun Pastalaya image

My own Cajun pastalaya recipe I put together after trying 3 or 4 different local Southern Louisiana recipes. The prep/cook times may be off, as I have never timed myself. Hope y'all enjoy! Serve with crusty bread.

Provided by Bevin

Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Shrimp

Time 1h30m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia®), finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (such as San Marzano®)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's®)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ bunch fresh thyme, chopped
½ bunch fresh oregano, chopped
½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Steps:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 2 minutes. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink inside and juices run clear, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add tomatoes, paprika, Creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper; bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Add broth to the pot and return to a simmer. Add penne and simmer for 8 minutes. Add shrimp. Continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until pasta is tender but firm to the bite and shrimp are cooked through, about 7 minutes more.
Stir in cream. Stir in thyme, oregano, and basil. Cook until just heated through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve topped with green onions and Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 640.1 calories, Carbohydrate 53.7 g, Cholesterol 185.1 mg, Fat 31.5 g, Fiber 4.7 g, Protein 36.6 g, SaturatedFat 12.7 g, Sodium 1217.6 mg, Sugar 7.1 g

REAL CAJUN PASTALAYA

Real Cajun Pastalaya image

This is one of our favorite "go to" meals here in our south Louisiana home. It's a modern twist on traditional jambalaya where we use pasta instead of rice. This is a basic recipe that is very versatile, so the combinations are many. I prefer penne pasta, but you can use any pasta from spaghetti, fettuccine, rotini, elbow; regular, flavored (spinach/ tomato pasta, for example) wheat... really, ANY pasta. The protein can be varied as well; I use rotisserie chicken because I like the flavor it gives it. You may use 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts. NOTE: when using chicken breasts, brown them in a skillet whole and cube them after. Other proteins can be added, I usually use more than one. Our local favorites: crawfish, shrimp, and alligator work well. For sausage I use Andouille, but you can use any smoked sausage, tasso, or whatever is local for you... I've done it with kielbasa too. You can even throw some BACON in if you'd like. This dish is the epitome of "versatile." I don't think I've cooked it the same twice. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Provided by Mathikaileigh

Categories One Dish Meal

Time 1h15m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

remove meat, chop
1/2 lb andouille sausages or 1/2 lb other sausage, cut lengthwise then sliced
1 medium onion, of choice chopped (I like Vidalia)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (less if you prefer)
2 cans Rotel Tomatoes, UNDRAINED
1 cup chicken broth (or water or boullion)
2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's, Slap Ya Mama, etc)
2 stalks green onions, sliced

Steps:

In a heavy pot that is NOT nonstick (I use Magnalite) brown sausage.
After sausage is browned, remove from pot and add onions and bell pepper. Cook on medium-high heat in fat rendered from sausage (add butter or olive oil if needed) until wilted; about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook a few more minutes.
Add sausage back to pot along with chicken or which ever protein you choose, except if using shrimp).
Add all remaining ingredients except green onions and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick to bottom. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for about 25 minutes, until pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. If using shrimp, add it at this point.
Remove from heat, stir in green onions. Serve hot. French bread is delicious with it and you can sop up the sauce.