One-Pot Jambalaya Pasta Recipe for Bold, Flavorful Dinners

Get your Cajun on with this simple One Pot Jambalaya Pasta. Tender chicken, smoky sausage, plump shrimp, sautéed vegetables and authentic Louisiana spices combine with linguine and a bright herb garnish. Fast, satisfying, and full of bold flavor.

Cajun pasta is essentially a one-pot meal loaded with vegetables, spices, and protein. It’s ideal for swapping ingredients and using up items in your fridge before they go bad. As long as you keep the basics—onion, celery, pepper, stock and seasoning—you can adapt this to what you have on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Jambalaya Pasta Recipe

• Deep Cajun Flavor: Jambalaya delivers a rich, layered taste. Using a premade Cajun seasoning blend helps replicate those classic flavors quickly.
• Quick and Simple: With a good spice blend and one pot, this dish comes together in about 30–40 minutes without sacrificing flavor.
• Highly Versatile: Swap proteins, change the pasta to rice, or adjust spices to suit your preferences—this recipe is very forgiving.

What You’ll Need

• Vegetable oil
• Vegetables: Yellow onion, celery, red and green bell pepper
• Proteins: Boneless chicken breasts (cubed), andouille or other smoked sausage (sliced), raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• Low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
• Tomato pasta sauce and tomato paste
• Seasonings: Cajun seasoning blend, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet or smoked paprika, salt and pepper
• Pasta: Linguine (or swap for fettuccine, bucatini, angel hair, or rice)
• Fresh herbs: Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

How to Make Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

Quick overview—full instructions are below in the recipe card. This method builds flavor by sautéing the vegetables and proteins, adding liquids and seasonings, and finishing with pasta and shrimp.

• Sauté: Heat oil in a dutch oven or large stockpot over medium heat. Add diced onions, sliced celery, and diced bell peppers; cook for about 1 minute to soften.
• Add chicken: Stir in cubed chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add sliced sausage and cook 1 more minute.
• Make the sauce: Pour in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and tomato paste; stir to combine. Season with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta: Add the linguine, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.
• Finish with shrimp: Add raw shrimp, stir, and continue cooking 10–12 minutes more, or until linguine is tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Stir frequently.
• Serve: Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, and serve immediately.

Tips and Tricks

These small adjustments help ensure the best texture and flavor:

• Uniform veg size: Cut vegetables into similar bite-size pieces so they cook evenly.
• Make it creamy: For a richer sauce, stir in a spoonful of cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream before serving.
• Use a heavy pot: A cast-iron or enameled dutch oven adds depth of flavor and retains heat well.
• Adjust heat: Vary the Cajun seasoning to suit your heat tolerance.
• Protein swaps: If andouille isn’t available, try kielbasa, pork sausage, or additional chicken.

What to Serve With Cajun Pasta

This dish is hearty on its own. I like it with a crusty piece of bread and a small green salad. Traditionally jambalaya is served with rice, so feel free to serve the sauce over rice or swap the linguine for another pasta shape to suit your preference.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. The pasta will absorb more sauce over time and the flavors will intensify.
• Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Stir until heated through.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
• Seafood Mac and Cheese
• Lasagna Roll Ups

5 from 9 votes

One Pot Jambalaya Pasta

by Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes

Chicken, sausage, shrimp, veggies and authentic Louisiana flavor layered over linguine and topped with fresh herbs.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 1 lb andouille smoked sausage, sliced
• 4½ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1½ cups tomato pasta sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (use less if you prefer milder)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp sweet or smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lb dry linguine
• 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
• Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, to garnish

Instructions

• Heat oil in a dutch oven or large stockpot over medium heat.
• Add onions, celery, and bell peppers; cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in cubed chicken and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
• Stir in sausage slices and cook for 1 minute.
• Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, and tomato paste; stir to combine.
• Season with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
• Add linguine and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.
• Add shrimp and stir to combine; continue to cook 10–12 minutes more, or until linguine is tender and shrimp are cooked through.
• Remove from heat, garnish with parsley or cilantro, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 592 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 54 g |
Protein: 42 g |
Fat: 23 g |
Saturated Fat: 9 g |
Cholesterol: 219 mg |
Sodium: 1307 mg |
Potassium: 929 mg |
Fiber: 4 g |
Sugar: 6 g

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary based on ingredients and preparation.