Ridiculously Cheesy Cajun Pasta Recipe (Cheesecake Factory)
The Cheesecake Factory is known for its delicious and large portions. One of their most popular dishes is the Louisiana Cajun Pasta made with pasta, chicken breast, shrimp, sautéed peppers and onions in a spicy cajun sauce. This recipe is easy to make at home and will impress your guests!
What is Louisiana Cajun Pasta
The Louisiana Cajun Pasta is a pasta dish that features a cheese sauce with a spicy kick. It is made with penne and comes in four different sizes: regular, small, half-order and kid’s. The pasta is topped with cajun chicken, grilled chicken breast or grilled shrimp (all of which are marinated in Cheesecake Factory’s signature cajun seasoning) and then covered in the creamy white cheddar cheese sauce. This is a rich, spicy pasta with a creamy, cheesy sauce and crunchy vegetables. It’s a great dish for your family or for entertaining.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound linguine
- 1/2 pound chicken breast, cooked and diced into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 pound shrimp, cooked and diced into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 pound crawfish tails, cooked and drained (if using frozen crawfish tails)
- 1/2 pound crabmeat, picked through for shells and chopped into bite-size pieces (Or you can use imitation crab)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook the pasta according to the directions on its packaging.
- In a bowl, combine the flour and salt; add 1/2 cup of oil, mixing well with a fork until combined (it will be crumbly). Stir in 1 cup milk and mix until smooth. If necessary, add additional milk until you get a thick but pourable sauce (I used about 2 cups total). You can also do this step in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment—just don’t overmix! Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 20 minutes if you’re not ready to use it yet.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
- Divide into two bowls: top with parsley or basil, season with salt (or add other herbs like tarragon), if desired; serve immediately with crusty bread on the side.
- In another large skillet set over medium-high heat, brown meatballs on all sides until they are no longer pink inside (you may need more than one skillet depending on how many meatballs you’ve got going at once). Drain fat from pan before adding tomato sauce and seasonings; bring mixture to boil then reduce heat to simmer gently while you prepare your pasta dish as described above.
Special Note
This dish is not for the faint of heart. It’s spicy, it’s heavy, and it’s delicious. If you’re looking for a way to use up your leftover pasta from last night’s meal, this is a great choice—and if you want to skip over all that cooking nonsense and just eat like an Italian grandmother on Sunday afternoon after church? This is also perfect for that.
The famous dish from Cheesecake Factory!
Cheesecake Factory is famous for their Louisiana Cajun Pasta, and it’s a great example of what makes this dish so special. The pasta is topped with spicy crawfish, shrimp, andouille sausage, scallions, peppers and smoked paprika cream sauce for a taste that’s out of this world. This is a great dish that you can make at home and enjoy with friends. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
