Andouille Fajita Pasta combines the smokiness and spice of andouille sausage with vibrant red onions, bell peppers, and a creamy sauce over penne pasta. It brings the flavors of fajitas in a pasta dish that is sure to satisfy! If preferred, I also have Chicken Fajita Pasta that you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Pasta: I prefer penne pasta for this dish because of its tubular shape and ridges. It catches all of that tasty sauce and holds up against the other ingredients in the recipe. If you don’t have penne pasta, use what you have on hand or make your own homemade shaped pasta!
Andouille: Andouille is a spicy, smoked pork sausage that is often used in Cajun and Creole cuisine. It is usually precooked, so you just need to heat it and brown it (if preferred) before adding it to recipes like this one. Chorizo, kielbasa (ring sausage), or smoked brats can easily be substituted, but you may not get the same amount of smokey, spicy flavors as you do from the Andouille smoked sausage.
Vegetables: To the pasta, I added red onion, green bell peppers, and red bell peppers. You could certainly use white or yellow onions instead of red onions and any color of bell peppers.
Sauce: The sauce is primarily made up of tomato paste, heavy cream, and chicken broth, along with a combination of spices and seasonings.
Cheese: Monterey Jack cheese melts nicely and goes well with the fajita ingredients. Of course, you could try other varieties of cheese for a tasty experiment! I think pepper jack would be delicious and give an extra layer of spiciness.
Is Andouille Fajita Pasta Spicy?
Because of the andouille, chili powder, and cheese, this dish does have a spicy kick to it for sure. However, you can make it less spicy by substituting the andouille with a mild variety of smoked sausage. You could also decrease the amount or omit the chili powder and use mild cheese.
Can I Make Fajita Pasta Without Andouille?
Yes, you could make the fajita pasta without andouille and simply add extra vegetables to the dish. You will be left with a delicious plate of sauteed vegetables with creamy pasta. Or, substitute the andouille with your favorite protein that you would add to fajitas. Fully cooked shrimp or steak would also be delicious options to add to the vegetables and pasta.
How To Store Andouille Fajita Pasta
To store andouille fajita pasta, first, let it cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Andouille Fajita Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ring (13 ounces) Andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ cups (357 g) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (60 g) chicken broth
- 1 cup (113 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- lime wedges, for garnish
- cilantro, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente (8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta and set aside, reserving one cup of pasta water.
- In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add andouille and heat for about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until brown. Transfer to a plate and tent to keep warm.
- To the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and butter. Once melted, add onions, and both peppers. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion is softened.
- Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt to the skillet with the onions and peppers. Stir to combine.
- Add the heavy cream, chicken broth, and cheese. Reduce the heat to low and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring until the cheese is fully melted.
- Add the Andouille sausage and pasta to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Continue cooking until the sausage and pasta are warm. (Add reserved pasta water if needed to reach the desired consistency.) Remove from heat.
- Garnish with lime and cilantro. Serve warm.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Elizabeth
I absolutely loved this dish with the spicy kick from Andouille! You will want to try this one!
Rachael
Fajita pasta is a wonderful way to get veggies in and it's a complete meal. The andouille sausage really pairs perfectly with the fajita vegetables.
Annabelle
These flavors all pair so well! The spicy veggies with the smoky andouille is seriously next-level!
Bella
Creamy, delicious, and full of flavor! The andouille and vegetables go very well together!
Selena
This is super flavorful, delicious, and creamy! My family loves this.
