Cajun Alfredo
A creamy, spicy Cajun alfredo loaded with shrimp and andouille sausage — one of my most-requested freezer meals, and it disappears just as fast fresh out of the oven.
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 35 min
- Total Time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 10 servings
Growing up, I was the biggest baby about spicy food — a pinch of black pepper had my tongue begging for mercy. My husband has always been the opposite, teasing me for years, until the night he ordered level 4 spice at a Thai restaurant and finally learned his own limits. We still laugh about that one.
Over the years my spice tolerance has grown right along with my love for Cajun and Mexican flavors, and this alfredo has become one of my absolute favorites to make. Some close friends of ours call it "Ninja Pasta" and are always on the hunt for it whenever it shows up on my freezer meal menu — it's consistently one of the top three most requested meals I make.
It's a creamy, cheesy, Cajun-spiced sauce loaded with shrimp and andouille, and it bakes up bubbly and perfect straight from the freezer on a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. gluten-free penne pasta (my favorite brand is Ronzoni)
- 2 (12 oz.) bags x-small frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
- 12 oz. andouille sausage, sliced and halved
- 8 oz. parmesan wedge, grated
- 1/2 gallon half and half
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 lb. butter
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 lbs. grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Slowly add the half and half and Cajun seasoning, whisking continuously.
- 2Continue cooking over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, whisking occasionally to break up any clumps, until the sauce has thickened.
- 3Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, pulling it a couple minutes short of done, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- 4Once the sauce has thickened, reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt and parmesan. Remove from heat and stir in the sausage, shrimp, and pasta.
- 5Distribute into baking dishes and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until hot and the cheese is melted.
Storage & Reheating
Freezer meal instructions: assemble, top with mozzarella, and let cool completely before covering and freezing for up to 4 months. Bake from frozen at 375 degrees for 1 hour 15-30 minutes, or thaw in the fridge first and bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes.
Love this recipe? You'll love Chef Erin's Freezer Pleasers
Over 90 make-ahead recipes that freeze beautifully — breakfast, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, soups, sides, and freezer-friendly desserts, built for batch cooking, meal trains, and stress-free weeknights.
