This homemade cajun alfredo sauce recipe is creamy and delicious but lower in fat and calories than your classic alfredo sauce. Easy to make, protein-packed, and flavorful, this pasta sauce is both comforting and nutritious! Perfect as a vegetarian meal but also delicious paired with blackened chicken or shrimp.
I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for most of my life and cajun pasta was always one of the most ordered dishes. This pasta is typically served with a rich and creamy alfredo sauce full of cajun spices, which is delicious but super heavy. It’s one of those pastas you enjoy in the moment but makes you feel cruddy later.
I decided to lighten up this dish and create an ultra-creamy cajun alfredo sauce that’s not only just as enjoyable as a traditional cajun cream sauce but also makes you feel great. To do this I replaced the heavy cream you would typically find in alfredo sauce with a nutritious alternative – cottage cheese.
Yup, cottage cheese, don’t knock it until you try it. You’re not going to believe how good this cajun pasta sauce is! Not only does the cottage cheese make this meal lower in fat and calories, but it also adds a good amount of protein to the dish. This pasta is so easy and quick to make you’re going to want to add it to your weekly rotation.
Why You’ll Love This Cajun Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Lower in fat and calories than your typical creamy alfredo sauce but still creamy and delicious.
- This creamy pasta recipe is ready to hit the dinner table in 30 minutes, perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
- This creamy sauce is loaded with protein, unlike traditional alfredo sauce.
Creamy Cajun Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this cajun alfredo sauce recipe
Milk – I use 2% milk for this recipe, it works great and keeps the fat low.
Cottage Cheese – I use low-fat cottage cheese with 2% milk fat, this helps bulk up the protein in this pasta dish but keeps the fat low.
Cornstarch – this helps to keep the sauce thick and creamy
Cajun Seasoning – This adds all the cajun flavor to this pasta sauce, use your favorite cajun seasoning. I like to use salt-free cajun seasoning so I can control the salt in the recipe.
Parmesan Cheese – freshly grated parmesan cheese works best in this recipe, I like to use parmesan reggiano.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is always best
Butter – I like to use salted butter for this alfredo sauce, if using unsalted butter just add a little extra salt to your sauce.
Pasta – Fettuccine noodles or linguine pasta works great, but any pasta shape will do.
How to Make Cajun Alfredo Sauce Step by Step:
Below is a list of visual instructions. Full recipe instructions with the exact ingredients and measurements will be on the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1 – Boil a large pot of water and cook pasta al dente according to package instructions.
Step 2 – While the pasta cooks, add milk, cottage cheese, cornstarch, and cajun seasoning to your food processor and process until smooth.
Step 3 – Melt your butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, once melted add your garlic and saute for about one minute until fragrant.
Step 4 – Add the milk and cottage cheese mixture to your pan. Heat through for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5 – Add freshly grated parmesan cheese to your sauce and stir for another minute or two until incorporated and your sauce has thickened a bit.
Step 6 – Add your cooked pasta to the alfredo sauce and top with meat, fish, or vegetables if desired. Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Homemade Cajun Alfredo Sauce Recipe Tips
- Try to find a high-quality salt-free cajun seasoning if you can, this will ensure your sauce isn’t over-salted.
- Don’t skip adding the cajun seasoning to the food processor. Adding it to the sauce after it’s already in the pan sometimes causes the seasoning to clump.
- Don’t over-thicken your sauce, simmer it just until it’s thickened. It will thicken more once it’s off the heat as well.
Variations
- Kick up the protein in this meal by making creamy cajun chicken alfredo pasta, cajun shrimp alfredo, or add smoked sausage or andouille sausage to your pasta.
- Add veggies such as diced red bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, or corn for a fun twist on the original recipe.
- If you’re trying to avoid corn products, you can substitute cornstarch for arrowroot powder.
- Lighten up this meal even more by substituting pasta for zucchini noodles.
- Make a spicy alfredo sauce – Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a bit of a kick if your cajun seasoning isn’t spicy enough for your liking.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Store cajun alfredo pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating – To reheat your pasta, add a little milk or water to the bottom of a saucepan over medium-low heat. Then add your pasta, stirring occasionally until heated all the way through. You can also reheat your pasta in the microwave for a couple of minutes if you’re short on time or don’t have access to a stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although creole and cajun have similar flavor profiles, creole sauce typically contains tomatoes whereas cajun sauce does not.
My favorite substitute for heavy cream in alfredo sauce is blended cottage cheese. Not only is it lighter in fat but it’s also higher in protein making alfredo sauce more nutritious and easier on your stomach.
The main ingredients found in cajun seasoning are ground peppers, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. It also sometimes contains a mix of other spices such as oregano, marjoram, mustard, black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, and onion powder.
If you make this homemade cajun alfredo sauce recipe be sure to leave a comment, give a rating, or share on Instagram! Don’t forget to tag me, I love looking through photos of the recipes you make!
Cajun Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz Linguini Pasta
- 2 Cups Milk 2%
- 1 Cup Cottage Cheese low fat
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 Tsp Cajun Seasoning
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp Butter
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- While your pasta is cooking, add milk, cottage cheese, cornstarch, and cajun seasoning to your food processor and process until smooth.
- Melt your butter in a pan over medium-low heat, once melted add your garlic and saute for about one minute until fragrant.
- Add the milk and cottage cheese mixture to your pan. Heat through for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- add freshly grated parmesan cheese to your sauce and stir for another minute or two until incorporated and your sauce has thickened a bit.
- Add your pasta to the alfredo sauce and toss to coat. Top with meat, fish, or vegetables if desired. Serve immediately.