Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Bursting with rich, spicy flavor. Texture: The pasta is perfectly al dente while the sauce is thick, rich, and creamy. Not to mention the bites of sausage are scrumptious and meaty. Ease: Very easy. TOTALLY worth the few extra steps than a box mac & cheese. Appearance: How can you beat little wheels of pasta coated with cheese and colored with red pepper and green onion? Pros: So flavorful and easy. Leftovers are pretty good too. Cons: Not exactly healthy. Would I make this again? Yes.This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine’s Day! The past few days have been pretty busy for me. My boyfriend came home after being out of the country for weeks. Long distance relationships can be hard but when you do get to see each other it’s a special occasion, filled with fun. But it’s also hard to get anything done those first few days back together. What do you do to have fun with your loved ones?
This mac & cheese is flavorful, fun, and easy. Plus if you’re like me and always end up with leftovers you’ll be happy to know the dish keeps pretty well in the fridge.
Cajun Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 12 ounces pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 ounces andouille sausage, diced
- 2 bunches green onions, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Cajun spice blend
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 1 minute less than package directs. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain pasta.
- In a large, deep skillet heat olive oil over high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until it begins to brown. Add onions and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the Cajun seasoning and flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer. Gradually and carefully whisk in the milk. Whisk until sauce is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and cheese to the skillet, tossing to combine. Add pasta water to thin sauce if necessary. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 1 minute.
[…] Adapted slightly from Handle the Heat, originally from Food Network Magazine March […]
I made this for donner last night – I totally loved it. I did use a few different kinds of cheese (that was what I had in the fridge) and cut down on the cajun spice so my kids would eat it and they loved it too! Thanks for a great recipe!
My fiance and I did long distance for two years and it was tough! Honestly, I think if you can get through that as a couple, you can get through anything! When we did see each other it never mattered what we did because we we're just so excited to be with each other. Seriously, just going to the grocery store was exciting.
On a separate note, this is the most unique Cajun recipe I've seen all day! I shared it with my readers in a Mardi Gras recipe round up. Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight for my family and it was pretty tasty. I thought it needed a little salt.
I stumbled upon this website/recipe when I googled Cajun mac and cheese.after enjoying a different Cajun mac and cheese at a restaurant that was delicious. That recipe also had chunks of chicken. That might be a good addition as well.
Thanks for posting this for foodies like me!
I think the salt level is really dependent on the sausage you use. Some sausage is so salty you may not need much salt in the rest of the dish! That's why it's best to taste as you go. Chicken sounds like a wonderful addition, thanks for the tip 🙂
Oooh! Looks so good!
Love the cajun flavor – sounds like a great comfort meal! I did a long distance relationship with my now hubby for years – not fun!
I tore this recipe out of that issue too! You're right about the con of the non-healthy part. But the wheel pasta is drawing me in.
What kind of Cajun spice blend do y'all recommend?
Whatever is at your grocery store!
Looks & sounds yummy!
Yum! Looks delicious. At first I thought the red peppers were sundried tomatoes, and I can't help but think that would be delicious!
Love this recipe! I really need to make it soon.