Pastalaya is a twist on traditional Cajun jambalaya, but made with pasta instead of rice. This pastalaya recipe also has an Italian flair and taste by adding some tomatoes and Italian seasonings.

Being that I am a native of Louisiana, and also an LSU Tiger fan, I always look forward to football season so that I can make a big pot of Cajun pastalaya. When I make this dish it immediately reminds me of LSU tailgates with my family and friends. It also reminds me of being back home at my dad’s house for family gatherings and get-togethers. In Louisiana everything is celebrated around good food!

I like to serve pastalaya with a garden salad and some hot French bread. And of course, a cold beer or two certainly pairs well too.

Now let’s get started! The sooner we get to cookin’ the sooner we can get to eatin’, so below are a few key ingredients that you’ll need…

Cajun Pork Sausage

My favorite pork sausage for pastalaya, as well as gumbo, sauce piquant, and red beans & rice is Savoie’s Hickory Smoked Pork Sausage, but any Cajun smoked pork sausage should work just fine.

Cajun Seasoning

You’ll notice that the majority of my recipes will call for Cajun seasoning. If you don’t have Cajun seasoning on hand check out this recipe for a copycat version of Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning.

Chicken and Pork

For this recipe I like to use skinless boneless chicken thighs and a few bone-in pork ribs. Just be sure to trim the pork meat off the rib bones before seasoning and cooking the pork.

I cube and season both the raw chicken and pork with Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Then I sauté both until cooked through and deliciously caramelized.

Holy Trinity

The vegetables are essentially your “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking. Holy Trinity is a slang term that consists of onions, bell peppers and celery, and is the base for much of the cooking in the regional cuisines of Louisiana. The preparation of many Cajun/Creole dishes all start from this base.

Now let’s get to cookin’! Here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1 ½ lbs. Cajun smoked pork sausage, sliced
• 2 tbsp. bacon grease or vegetable oil (divided), if needed
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
• 1 lb. pork, cubed
• Cajun seasoning
• Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lb. onions, chopped
• 2 bell peppers (1 green & 1 red), chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp. hot sauce
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. sweet basil
• 1/8 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
• 2 tbsp. Better Than Bouillon chicken base
• 16 oz. water
• 1 – 1 ½ lbs. rotini pasta
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. parsley flakes

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, sauté pork sausage over medium to high heat for about 10 minutes, or until browned.

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2. After the sausage has browned remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

3. In separate bowls season the cubed chicken thigh meat and cubed pork with Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.

4. Add the chicken thigh meat to the pot and sauté over medium to high heat for about 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Feel free to add 1 tbsp. of bacon grease or vegetable oil if you need more fat to cook the chicken in.

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5. After the chicken has caramelized remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.

6. Add the pork meat to the pot and sauté over medium to high heat for about 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Feel free to add 1 tbsp. of bacon grease or vegetable oil if you need more fat to cook the pork in.

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7. After the pork has caramelized remove the pork from the pot and set aside.

8. In the same large pot add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables over medium to high heat for about 25 minutes until soft.

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9. Return the sausage, chicken, and pork back into the pot.

10. Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Italian seasoning, sweet basil, thyme, brown sugar, and Cajun seasoning.

11. In a large measuring cup mix the Better Than Bouillon chicken base and water. Stir until well combined.

12. Add the chicken stock mixture to the pot. Stir until well combined.

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13. Bring the pot to a low boil and then let simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

14. Bring the pot to a rapid boil. Add In the pasta, green onions, and parsley flakes. Stir until well combined.

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15. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

16. Turn off the heat and let sit while still covered for another 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid.

17. Remove the lid, stir, and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Be sure to check out more Cajun inspired recipes:

• Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Cajun Red Beans and Rice
• Cajun Alligator Sauce Piquant