Pastalaya Recipe

Oh yall!! Im so excited to share this pastalaya recipe. Its one of my all time favorites and its a dish Ive made for our friends countless times!

In case you are a little confused of what pastalaya is, its just jambalaya but instead of rice, we use bow tie pasta! Its packed with flavorful meats and veggies to create a meal that will make you say – Mais yeah sha, thats delicious!

When I make this dish, it immediately reminds me of LSU tailgates with my friends and family. I dont get to visit them nearly as often as I would like, but this is a great piece of home that I can have with me across the country.

This recipe is adapted from The Cajun Ninja! His recipe is where I got the idea for using the bow tie noodles and Ive got to say, its a game changer!!

Glad you asked. You can serve this with the best ever cornbread or roasted asparagus. Or if youre making it for a tailgate, it pairs perfectly with a beer

Pastalaya

Celebrate like you’re in Louisiana with this easy, filling, and inexpensive one pot favorite, Pastalaya. It’s the shortcut pasta version of Jambalaya!

Prep: 10min

Total: 45min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1.5 Cups

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1.5 Cups, calories 472 kcal, Carbohydrate 66 g, Protein 19 g, Fat 15 g, Fiber 4 g, Sodium 715 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.04)
• 1/2 lb. smoked sausage (preferably Andouille) ($2.50)
• 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
• 1 10oz. bag frozen “seasoning mix”* ($1.29)
• 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.59)
• 1/2 Tbsp Creole seasoning** ($0.15)
• 1/2 tsp oregano ($0.05)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
• 1/4 tsp thyme ($0.02)
• Freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
• 2 cups chicken broth ($0.26)
• 1 cup water ($0.00)
• 1 lb. penne pasta ($1.39)
• 2 Tbsp half and half or cream ($0.11)
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley ($0.45)
• 1/2 bunch green onions ($0.42)

Instruction:

1. Slice the smoked sausage into thin rounds, then cut any larger pieces in half. Add the sausage and vegetable oil to a large pot and cook over medium heat until the sausage is well browned (about 5 minutes).
2. Mince two cloves of garlic and add them to the pot. Sauté for one minute, or until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Add the bag of frozen seasoning mix and sauté until heated through (3-5 minutes). Add the can of diced tomatoes (with juices), Creole seasoning, oregano, smoked paprika, thyme, freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a pepper mill), and pasta to the pot. Finally, add the chicken broth and 1 cup of water, and stir until everything is evenly combined.
3. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Let the pot come to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, stir briefly, replace the lid, turn the heat down to low, and let the pot simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir the pot once every few minutes as it simmers to prevent the pasta from sticking. Replace the lid as quickly as possible to maintain a simmer. If the mixture still seems soupy at around 8 minutes, let the pot simmer without a lid for the last few minutes. A little bit of thick sauce at the bottom of the pot is perfect.
4. While the pasta is simmering, chop the parsley and slice the green onions.
5. Turn off the heat and stir in the half & half or cream. Stir in most of the chopped parsley and green onions, reserving some to sprinkle over top of each bowl. Serve hot.

Pastalaya

A jambalaya-like dish made with dry pasta instead of rice. Very popular South Louisiana fare.

Prep: 20min

Total: 100min

Yield: 12

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 438 kcal, Carbohydrate 39 g, Protein 23 g, Fat 20 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Trans Fat 0.04 g, Cholesterol 78 mg, Sodium 632 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 5 g, unSaturated Fat 12 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon (or 3 tablespoons bacon drippings)
• ¾ pound pork butt (cubes)
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• ¾ pound chicken thighs
• 4 cups Yellow onions
• 1 cup Bell peppers
• ½ cup Celery
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 2 bunches Green onions
• 4 ½ cups Chicken Stock
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• 1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instruction:

1. Fry slices bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the fat has rendered, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the pork and saute for about 12 to 15 minutes until starting to brown. Stir occasionally so that some searing takes place.
3. Add the sausage and saute for about 15 minutes until browning and rendered.
4. Add the chicken. Saute for about 10 minutes.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the Trinity and mix well with the browned meats. Saute for about 15 minutes until browning. Stir occasionally.
6. To the browned meats and Trinity (yellow onions, bell peppers, and celery) add the garlic, Creole seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix well and saute for about 3 minutes until aromatic.
7. Next, stir in about ¾ of the green onions, reserving the rest for later.
8. Next, add 4 ½ cups of chicken stock. Start with about ½ cup of the stock and deglaze the Dutch oven. Combine the loosened fond in with the contents of the Dutch oven before adding the remainder of the stock. Bring to a slight boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered.
9. As the stock simmers, taste for seasoning and make adjustments as needed.
10. After 10 minutes, increase the heat to a slight boil. Break the spaghetti in half and add it to the stock. Mix well, making sure to that all the pasta has touched the stock.
11. Cover the Dutch oven and lower the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove the lid and stir thoroughly to mix all the pasta and other ingredients together.
12. Place the cover back on the Ducth oven and simmer for another 10 minutes. Check that al the liquid has been absorbed by the pasta. Test the pasta for al dente. If there is a lot of liquid or the past is not al dente yet, simmer another 5 minutes uncovered or until the liquid is gone.

Louisiana Pastalaya

It’s like jambalaya, but with pasta!! Perfect for family get togethers or tailgating for an LSU football game.

Prep: 20min

Total: 90min

Yield: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pound smoked sausage (sliced into ½ inch rounds)
• 1 pound pork shoulder (cubed)
• 1 ½ pound chicken thighs seasoned with 1 teaspoon Tony’s
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning + more for serving
• 1 tablespoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (10 oz)
• 3 1/2 cups + ¼ cup water
• 1 pound bow tie pasta

Instruction:

1. Season chicken with Tony’s and cook in a dutch oven or cast irons skillet for 8 minutes on medium-high, then flip and cook for another 8 on medium. Remove from pan, let cool, and then cut into small pieces.
2. Add sausage to the Dutch oven and brown for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and blot grease from the sausage.
3. Add cubed pork to the hot Dutch oven and let brown for 10 minutes on medium high heat, stirring every 3 minutes. Remove from Dutch oven.
4. Dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery and add to the Dutch oven with ¼ cup of water. Cook on medium-low for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add beef bouillon cubes, garlic powder, Tony’s, hot sauce, and Kitchen Bouquet and cook down for 5 minutes. (Crumbling bouillons before adding to the pot helps to cook down)
6. Add in cream of chicken and meats and stir to combine
7. Add in water and stir to combine, bring to boil.
8. Add in pasta and stir to make sure all noodles are touching the liquid
9. Lower the fire to medium-high and cover the Dutch oven completely.
10. Let the pastalaya boil for 3 minutes, stir gently, and then cover and let boil for another 3 minutes. Continue this until pasta is al dente (about 10-12 minutes total).
11. Turn off fire, cover completely and let sit for 10 minutes.
12. Dig in!!!

Pastalaya with Bruce Mitchell | Blackstone Griddle

FAQ

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