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One Pot Jambalaya Pasta is the perfect meal. Throw everything in a pot and dinner is done in 20 minutes. Better than Cheesecake Factory’s Jambalaya pasta!
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This Jambalaya Pasta has all the spices and Louisiana flavors of the classic southern dish in one pot! I came up with this easy Cajun Jambalaya pasta when I was craving something spicy and satisfying, but I wanted to make it simplified somehow. Sort of like the Jambalaya Pasta at Cheesecake Factory (one of my favs). It was a HUGE success! From start to finish, it took just minutes and everything from the noodles to the Cajun spice blend was perfection. If you’re looking for a simple, spicy supper, this is IT!
Ingredients in Jambalaya Pasta
Okay, the list for ingredients in this pasta dish may seem daunting, but it’s all easy to find, pantry staple type stuff that you probably already have on hand! Trust me, a sprinkle of this and a dab of that and you’ll have a show stopping dish! Here’s what you need:
- Oil (for sautéing)- use extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, anything you like
- Skinless chicken breasts – about one and a half pounds should do it. Cut your chicken into thin strips or dice into 1-inch pieces.
- Red bell pepper – You can also dice up a green bell pepper, yellow, orange, whatever you have on hand.
- White onions – yellow or red onions work also.
- Smoked andouille sausage – sliced or diced.
- Chicken broth – about 4 and a half cups. You can also use a spicy chicken-seafood broth for extra kick. Find it next to the soups in the grocery store.
- Tomato sauce – about a cup and a half of your favorite sauce.
- Roma tomatoes – we like using a can of RO*TEL, which is just diced tomatoes with green chiles already mixed together. So good!
- Cajun seasoning – Tony Chachere’s is the best! Find it at any grocery store in the spice aisle. Add more for a little more Cajun spice.
- Garlic powder – one tablespoon, or a couple of cloves garlic, minced.
- Paprika – one tablespoon gives the dish a beautiful red color and a mild spice that’s so delicious.
- Onion powder – one tablespoon
- Kosher salt and black pepper – to taste
- Pasta noodles – one pound of any pasta you like. We love using linguini pasta or spaghetti, even penne or ziti.
- Shrimp – one pound uncooked, peeled, deveined. This is optional, but I love shrimp in this recipe!
- Cilantro – for garnish. You can also use parsley, oregano, thyme or a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
What is Jambalaya?
In its simplest definition, Jambalaya is a mixture of rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, shrimp or oysters, along with a variety of herbs and spices. More specific definitions advise using a trinity of celery, peppers and onions, then adding meat. There are distinctions between New Orleans Jambalaya, Creole and Cajun versions. But when it comes down to it, you get to choose what to throw in this pot. Season it up right and you have an amazing one-pot meal.
Shrimp Tip
If you want to add shrimp to the dish, don’t add it at the very beginning (they will get overcooked). Throw the shrimp in about 10-15 minutes into the simmering process. They will get nice and pink by the time you are ready to serve. Also, if you would like to give the smoked sausage a little boost of flavor, sauté it in a little butter before adding all the other ingredients. If you are in a hurry (like I usually am) you can just throw it in with all the other ingredients. Either way it will taste authentic and amazing!
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover jambalaya pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, place in the microwave, stirring in between until it’s not. I love leftovers for lunch the next day!
Frequently Asked Questions about Jambalaya Pasta
This Jambalaya Pasta is packed with chicken, shrimp, sausage, veggies, and pasta flavored with a pre-made Cajun spice mix and a few extra herbs. It all comes together in one pot in no time at all!
Serve this spicy dish alongside a pan of cornbread, cheddar biscuits, garlic bread, or even a simple salad for a very satisfying meal.
The two general types of jambalaya include Creole and Cajun. Both are made with onion, celery and green peppers, but the main difference is in the sauce. Creole Jambalaya is also called “red jambalaya” because it uses tomatoes, while Cajun jambalaya does not.
READ NEXT: Top 10 Shrimp Recipes
More One Pot Meals
- Skinny One Pot Creamy Garlic Noodles: These creamy garlic noodles are delicious yet so easy and clean-up is a snap. No creams or large amounts of butter, making this meal a winner all-around!
- One Pot Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowls : These one pot chicken teriyaki rice bowls make for the EASIEST week-night meal. You throw everything in one pot and let it simmer until finished!
- One Pot Thai Peanut Pasta:This One Pot Thai Peanut Pasta features shrimp or chicken, noodles, vegetables, seasonings, and peanuts all cooked together in a light, creamy peanut sauce.
- One Pot Tortellini with Sausage:This Creamy One Pot Tortellini with Sausage is a delicious meal that whips up in less than 30 minutes. The seasonings in the sauce make it so flavorful!
How to make One Pot Jambalaya Pasta
One Pot Jambalaya Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 white onion (or yellow) diced
- 1 pound smoked sausage sliced
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles RO*TEL brand
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning Tony Chachere's is the best!
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound pasta noodles we like linguine or spaghetti
- 1 pound shrimp uncooked, peeled, deveined (optional)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or large, deep-walled skillet.
- Add chicken and cook until white (it doesn’t need to be cooked through).
- Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT shrimp and cilantro.
- Bring to a boil, stirring often. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer* for about 20-25 minutes or until noodles become soft, stirring often. Add more chicken broth if necessary.
- *If adding shrimp, add it at about 10 minutes into the simmering process. The shrimp will need to simmer for 15 minutes to be fully cooked.
- Garnish with cilantro before serving.
Notes
- If you want to add shrimp to the dish, don’t add it at the very beginning (they will get overcooked).
- Throw the shrimp in about 10-15 minutes into the simmering process. They will get nice and pink by the time you are ready to serve.
- Also, if you would like to give the smoked sausage a little boost of flavor, sauté it in a little butter before adding all the other ingredients.
- If you are in a hurry (like I usually am) you can just throw it in with all the other ingredients. Either way it will taste authentic and amazing!
We absolutely loved this dish. It was so easy to prepare but big on flavor. If you like fast and flavorful make this dish.
Thank you for this great recipe! We live in Louisiana and eat seafood quite a bit. The whole family loved this dish, even our one year old. Because it is so easy to make and delicious, it is now in our regular dinner rotation.
Thank you for the 5-stars and for your nice comment! So glad you guys loved this recipe, my littles always devour it too!
Excellent!! Go easy on the cajun spice, if you have people that don’t like spicy.
We loved this recipe so much! It was so easy to get together! Thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂 Definitely a keeper!!!
Sounds yummy. What exactly is tomato sauce that is required for this recipe?
It is just kind of like a tomato puree. Not ketchup though (it is not sweet at all). It is pure tomato with maybe a little salt added. Hope this helps!
can i use a can of diced tomatoes instead can you email me the anwear please.
Can you use a can of diced tomatoes instead of what? I will email you…
About how many servings does this make?
appx. 8 servings. It depends on if you are making this as a min dish or a side dish.
Hi ladies. Thank you so much for emailing the recipe to me yesterday. I made this for dinner tonight and my family gave this a 10/10! It was wonderful! As my son and I don’t like seafood, we left it out. The only other changes were, as we are in Australia, we don’t have andouille sausage so I used part chorizo and part smoked kranzky. Also, we don’t have Rotel so just used tinned diced tomatoes. My husband is a bit wimpy about too much spice so I halved the Cajun spice mix lol. It was so flavoursome! This will be a regular for us now. Next time I will add some more spice just to my dish of this! Loved the change from using rice to using pasta. One pot – too easy! lol….Many thanks from Down Under.
I don’t understand how the pasta doesn’t over cool if it cooks for 20 minutes.
You are cooking it at a simmer so it won’t be at a rolling boil like you would typically cook pasta. It won’t cook as fast. Hopefully this helps!
how do i thicken the sauce?
It should thicken on its own. You don’t cover it so the sauce should reduce and thicken. Hope this helps!
I made this last week and my family absolutely loved it!! They say this is now in the top 10 of the recipes they want me to make frequently. I love it not only for how great it tastes but also for how easy it is to prepare. and only takes one pot. Thanks for this fantastic creation.
Thank you so much! So glad that you and your family like it. What a huge compliment to make your top 10 recipes you want to make frequently! 😀
Thank you for the nice recipe and have a wonderful weekend!
Hello, this may be silly but when you add everything in the pot, is the pasta supposed to be cooked or uncooked?
uncooked. 🙂 so easy, right? You even boil the noodles all in that one pot along with everything else
Might be a silly question, but when you’re doing this do you have to precook the sausage? Or can I use raw sausage. Also I only have fresh tomatoes, not Rotel. Will that work?
You will want to use the smoked sausage that is precooked already.. the kind that is “U” shaped. Fresh tomatoes will work great.
Can I freeze it after I cook it for a quick warm up meal?
We haven’t tried freezing it before, so I can’t definitively say if it will change the taste or texture. Let me know how it goes if you try it! I love freezer meals!
Here is one I use. The recipe was from the food.com website.
Creole/Cajun Seasoning Mix
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp white pepper (or 2 use tablespoons black pepper)
3 tsp cayenne pepper
5 tbsp paprika
4 -5 tbsp seasoning salt (Nature’s Seasoning is best.)
Mix all ingredients in a glass jar.
Store in the refrigerator to keep the spices fresh.
Shake the jar before using.
I can’t get Creole seasoning in Canada…what would be a good substitute?
We don’t have a recipe on our site for a substitute but there are lots of recipes on google: https://www.google.com/search?q=cajun+seasoning+recipe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Vajun seasoninh is nothing more than garlic powder. Onion powder and some ceyenne pepper flakes or powder. For a true cajun flavor add a bit of celery to it and your set.
? I live in Canada. I can buy Creole seasoning at any grocery store…
I use a little cajun seasoning along with old bay instead of the creole. Its wondrrful!
I just wanted to say thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I made it to note as a early Valentines day dinner for my husband and he loved it. I am not really a good cook but this was easy for me! Thank you again!
So glad you liked it! Isn’t is SO easy? My family loves it too 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day! <3
hi i cant wait to make this but cab u please tell me what Lb is and also the c after the stock and tomatoes does the c mean cans?
Lb = pound, c = cup.. hope this helps!
Hello Erica, this is such a great looking recipe that’s easy, fast and perfect for a quick week night meal. The only problem is that it’s just my husband and I. We are empty nesters. Could this recipe be halved? And can seafood broth or vegetable broth be used instead of the chicken broth?
Thanks
Yes, vegetable broth is totally fine– seafood would work well too! You can absolutely half the recipe– maybe just check it after 15 minutes to see if it is ready 🙂 HOpe this helps!
Hi Erica: This definitely sounds like a dish which my family would enjoy. I love to prepare One Pot Meals on a busy day, since they’re easy, quick, and delicious. I however, always cook the required amount of pasta (or rice) separately, drain & rinse it, and then add it into the pot. (I do this in order to avoid excess starch in our diet.) That being said, can you tell me by how much I should decrease the chicken broth in this recipe, or should I just ‘eyeball’ it?
Never, ever, EVER rinse your pasta. The starch that coats the pasta after being cooked is what allows the sauce to adhere to the pasta and to gain the full flavor of the sauce. For true Jambalaya flavor profile, I would recommend an andouille sausage instead of or in addition to the smoked sausage.