Creamy Cajun Pasta (Dairy-Free!)

Creamy Cajun Pasta (Dairy-Free!)

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: vegan

Keyword: cajun pasta

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 350kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

The next time you want to make a creamy pasta dish, try this Cajun pasta recipe. The dairy-free sauce (made with cashews) is the star of the show. It takes literally 2 minutes to whip up! You also don't need a special spice blend— just a few pantry spices create amazing flavor. I've written this recipe without meat, but you can easily add in your favorite protein, like shredded chicken or shrimp, or keep it vegetarian with some added chickpeas.

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Ingredients

8 ounces penne pasta (gluten-free, if needed)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ red onion , chopped
2 bell peppers (I use red and green)
fine sea salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies , reserve juices for sauce
½ cup raw cashews
chopped green onions or cilantro , for garnish

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil (I add 2 teaspoons of salt), then cook the pasta according to the package directions. When it's done cooking, drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a separate large skillet. Sauté the onion and bell peppers until they start to soften, about 8 minutes. Season the veggies with ½ teaspoon of salt as you stir.
In a small bowl, combine the oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Start with just a pinch of Cayenne pepper, because you can always add more later, but you can't undo spice! An ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper makes this dish quite spicy, so I recommend starting with less if you don't like spicy food. Set this aside until the veggies are tender.
To make the creamy sauce, pour the juices from the diced tomatoes directly into your blender. Then add the cashews, ½ cup of water, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Blend until very smooth, with no visible cashew pieces remaining. (Note: This works best in a personal-size blender due to the small batch size.)
Once the veggies are tender, add in the spice blend and stir briefly. Then, add in the diced tomatoes, the creamy sauce, and the drained pasta, and toss well.
Taste the pasta, and adjust any seasoning, as needed. You can add more salt to boost the flavor, some freshly ground black pepper, and another pinch of cayenne pepper, if you like things spicier, or a little more smoked paprika, for more of a smoky flavor. Serve warm, with any extra garnishes you like. (I added chopped green onions and cilantro.) Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 4 servings, assuming you use a chickpea pasta, which has a little more protein. This information is automatically calculated using an online ingredient database, so it's just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2026 to remove 4 ounces of mushrooms. It felt like unnecessary extra chopping, especially since many people might omit them anyway. If you prefer this recipe with mushrooms, cook them along with the bell peppers and onions.

Nutrition