Everything bakes together in a single dish, making this Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner!
Table of Contents
If you love dump-and-bake dinners, don’t miss our dump-and-bake ham and cheddar casserole, dump-and-bake shrimp marinara, this dump-and-bake chicken vegetable casserole, and a dump-and-bake chicken parm casserole, too!
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- This dish is designed and tested with penne pasta. You can substitute with another short pasta shape; however, you may need to increase or decrease the total baking time.
- This recipe calls for andouille — a smoked sausage made using pork. In the United States, it’s most often associated with Louisiana Cajun cuisine, where it’s frequently used in dishes like jambalaya and gumbo. Cajun or Creole andouille sausage is more heavily seasoned and has a spicier flavor than other varieties. If you prefer a mild sausage, you can substitute with turkey smoked sausage, beef kielbasa, or even hotdogs for the kids!
- You’ll need a large 22-ounce jar of Alfredo sauce for the base of this creamy Cajun shrimp pasta. I use Prego brand. If you can’t find the 22-ounce jar, purchase two smaller jars and just measure the sauce to equal 2 ½ cups total.
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use, your brand of pasta, and your individual oven. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be al dente, the shrimp should be pink, and the sauce should be thicker.
- Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy.
Directions
Busy weeknight dinners don’t get much easier than a dump-and-bake Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta casserole with just 10 minutes of prep time! You’ll find complete cooking instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the overview:
- Stir together all of the ingredients except for the shrimp and cheese.
- Cover the dish and bake for 45 minutes. At this point, you’ll need to check the pasta. It should be almost al dente (but still a little firm). If it’s not, return the dish to the oven. Once it’s almost al dente, move on to the next step.
- Stir in the shrimp and sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Return to the oven uncovered for 5-10 more minutes, until the pasta is tender and the shrimp is pink. I find that medium shrimp typically require about 8 minutes, while large shrimp need 9-10 minutes. Small shrimp may be done in as little as 5 minutes.
- Garnish the pasta bake with sliced green onions or fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or oregano.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the Cajun shrimp pasta with a simple green salad dressed in pepper jelly vinaigrette or a cool and creamy buttermilk dressing. It’s also great with a pan of Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, garlic bread, or 3-ingredient biscuits.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even leave it covered in the refrigerator overnight before baking (just don’t add the shrimp and cheese until the end). The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to decrease the baking time slightly. You don’t want to overcook the casserole or you’ll end up with gummy, mushy pasta.
- Storage: This casserole is best enjoyed immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits.
- I do not recommend freezing this casserole because pasta has a tendency to become gummy and mushy when thawed.
More Dump-and-Bake Recipes
Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
55 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
45 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Dump-and-Bake Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 53 minutes
Total: 1 hour 3 minutes
This easy weeknight dinner bakes entirely in one dish!
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
- 1 (12-14 ounce) package andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 3 cups low sodium or unsalted chicken broth (or sub with water)
- 1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (about 2 ½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning (for a less spicy or less salty dish, reduce to 1 ½ teaspoons)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 lb. raw peeled and deveined shrimp (I use medium (41-50 count shrimp))
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Optional: fresh parsley and/or sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared baking dish, stir together the uncooked pasta, sausage, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the broth, Alfredo sauce, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the dish with the pasta and other ingredients. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover; stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (still firm but just about finished cooking). You don’t want it to be tender yet, because it will continue baking in the oven. If the pasta is too hard, cover the dish and return it to the oven until the pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Once the pasta is al dente, stir in the uncooked shrimp. Sprinkle the cheese over top. Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes (I find that 8 minutes is perfect for medium shrimp). The dish is finished when the cheese melts, the shrimp turns pink, and the pasta is tender. Keep a close eye on your shrimp during the final few minutes of baking, because you don’t want to overcook the shrimp and have it turn out rubbery!
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and sliced green onion, if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the recipeCalories: 579kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 24gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1067mgPotassium: 528mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 139mgIron: 2mg
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Recipe Variations
- Don’t have penne pasta? You can substitute with other similar short pasta shapes such as rotini, rigatoni, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the penne (about 11-12 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- Add finely diced celery along with the bell peppers and onion powder to create the classic “Holy Trinity” of Cajun cooking.
- To control the sodium in the dish, use unsalted chicken broth (or water), and cut back on some of the Cajun seasoning (which includes salt). You might also want to make your own Alfredo sauce from scratch so that you can decide how much salt to add, or make your own homemade Cajun seasoning.
First time making this recipe. It was very easy and delicious! I used rotini instead of penne because my husband like the way it holds the sauce and it doesn’t run away from his fork :-). Otherwise followed the recipe including the cook time and temperature. It turned out perfect.
Thank you for trying it out, Terri! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
I made this and reduced the amount of Cajun seasoning as suggested for a less spicy version. WOW, it was still very hot. I was wondering if the recipe was wrong and should have been 1 tsp instead of tbl.
It’s meant to have some kick, but it shouldn’t be overwhelmingly spicy. I’m wondering if maybe you used a different brand of seasoning that happens to be spicier than ours? Each blend has its own level of heat, so it’s hard to know for sure. Definitely feel free to adjust in the future to suit your preferences. We hope you still enjoyed it, Joyce!
Do you thaw the shrimp before using them?
Yes! We hope you enjoy, Kris.