Pastalaya Recipe

A gorgeous pot full of glistening linguine, coated in Cajun butter sauce, topped with sausage and shrimp

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Pastalaya is a bold, buttery Cajun comfort dish that brings together smoky sausage, tender chicken, and pasta simmered in a deeply seasoned, savory broth. Rich, hearty, and packed with flavor, it’s a crowd-pleasing one-pot meal that eats like jambalaya’s louder, creamier cousin.

Course Louisiana Recipes, Main Course, Main Dishes, Seafood

Cuisine American, Cajun Cooking, Gulf Seafood

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 876kcal

Author Sarah Penrod

Ingredients

Pasta & Protein

1 pound linguine
6 chicken tenders or 3 chicken breasts
1 pound andouille sausage or smoked sausage sliced into coins
½ pound shrimp peeled and deveined

Cajun Butter Sauce

8 ounces 2 sticks butter softened, room temperature
4 large garlic cloves minced
1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce like Crystal Hot Sauce
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more if you like heat
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces chicken stock

Vegetables:

1 Green Bell Pepper sliced into strips
1/4 Red Onion sliced into strips
3 Roma tomatoes chopped

Garnish:

6 Green Onions chopped
1/3 cup Fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook linguine until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute under package instructions).
Chef Tip: Undercooking slightly keeps the pasta from over-softening when it finishes in the sauce.

Build the Cajun Butter

Add all butter ingredients to the softened butter, including Worcestershire, hot sauce, and spices. Mash well with a fork until fully combined. Divide the butter in half — use one half to brown the meat and reserve the remaining half to finish the sauce.

Brown the Proteins

In a large dutch-oven or high-sided skillet: Heat the pan to medium. Add half of the butter to the skillet.
In the melted cajun butter sauce, brown the sausage first. Remove and set aside.
In the rendered fat, cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove.
Add shrimp last and cook just until pink (about 60–90 seconds per side). Remove immediately.
Why separate? Each protein has a different cook time. Overcooked shrimp = rubber bands. We don’t do that here.
Science Moment: Fat carries spice compounds beautifully. Blooming spices in butter releases fat-soluble flavor molecules, giving you a deeper Cajun profile instead of raw spice heat.

Sauté The Veggies

Sauté the bell pepper, onion, and tomato in the cajun butter for 3-5 minutes or until tender.

Bring It All Together

Lower the heat. Return sausage, chicken, and shrimp to the pan.
Add drained linguine and toss thoroughly in the butter sauce.
Add the second half of the cajun butter and toss well. Add the chicken broth to emulsify and help the sauce cling to the noodles. Toss well with tongs.
Simmer 2–3 minutes until everything is glossy and coated.

Taste & Adjust

Check salt and heat. Add extra hot sauce or cayenne if you want more kick.

Finish and Garnish

Finish with fresh chopped parsley and chopped green onions. Serve hot in bowls with extra hot sauce for those who like it spicy!

Notes

To save this dish, package leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Nutrition