Pappadeaux Creamy Cajun Pasta Recipe: Made with Pork

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen is one of my favorite Cajun restaurants! I absolutely love the creamy Cajun sauce that they serve on some of their pasta dishes, so I decided to recreate it at home. While this may not exactly be “Pappadeaux’s recipe”, it is definitely a flavorful pasta dish and makes an easy dinner for a special occasion or any night of the week. Try this Pappadeaux Cajun Pasta Recipe the next time you are craving a taste of New Orleans and I think you will agree!
Picture your favorite pasta, bathed in a velvety cream sauce, and topped with perfectly seared pork, mushrooms, sweet onions, and garlic!
Add in your favorite veggie, and you have a delicious one-pot meal that the entire family will love.
If you are cooking in a tight space like me, you love recipes that don’t use a ton of ingredients and can be cooked in one pan. The fewer dishes the better right?
Countertop space is precious, and there isn’t a lot of room on an RV stove top either. If you can cook everything in one pan, you have more room to work and it just cuts down on the stress in the kitchen. I love to use a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid that is deep enough to boil pasta.

I always give instructions with step-by-step photos in my posts just in case some readers have questions. But if you are just here for the recipe, click the JUMP TO RECIPE tab under the title and it will take you straight there. You can also print the recipe card with full instructions or you can click one of the SHARE BUTTONS and save it for later!
Let’s Gather Up the Ingredients

- Pasta – For this recipe, I used Linguine, but you can use your favorite pasta.
- Pork tenderloin – Sliced into thin strips. I love using pork tenderloin. It’s tender, and juicy, and can be used in a variety of ways.
- Cajun Seasoning– I use Slap Ya Mama brand, but Tony Chachere also makes a good one. If you have a favorite, feel free to use that or make your own by combining cajun spices such as cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and a little bit of chili powder.
- Red Onion– Sliced into half moons. The color of the onions makes this dish pop.
- Garlic– Fresh garlic is always the best, but if you don’t have any on hand, you could substitute with one teaspoon of garlic powder or add it to taste. I like to slice my cloves so that they can cook slowly with the onions. This will give you a more mild garlic flavor, but if you want it to be more pungent, you could always use minced garlic. Just be sure to add it at the end so it doesn’t burn.
- Sliced Mushrooms– I love the earthiness of crimini mushrooms, but you could use any mushroom you like, or if you don’t love mushrooms, leave them out.
- Broccoli– Cut into florets. The addition of the broccoli not only adds vibrant color but also makes this a complete one-pot meal. Right down to the veggies.
- Roma Tomatoes
- Butter – For sauteing the vegetables
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Room temperature.
- Parmesan – Freshly grated parmesan is always best. It melts into the heavy cream perfectly giving you a velvety texture. If you only have the pre-shredded stuff on hand, it will still work, it just won’t melt into the sauce as well.

Once all of your ingredients have been prepped, this meal comes together fast!
Now Let’s Get Cooking
Season the sliced pork with the creole seasoning. Add two tablespoons of the butter to the skillet. Once the butter melts, add the pork and sear until it’s golden brown.



Once all of the meat has been seared, set it aside on a large plate or platter.
Add the remaining butter and mushrooms to the same pan and saute until golden brown.

Next, add the onions and sliced red peppers. The veggies will soak up all of that wonderful pork flavor as they slowly cook and begin to soften. Add in the sliced garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Once they are done, add them to the plate along with the pork.



Cook the broccoli
Add the broccoli florets to the same pan. Add in a 1/2 cup of water and a little bit of salt. Bring it to a boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and let it steam for 3 minutes.
Drain the broccoli into a colander and run it under cold water. This will stop the cooking process and allow the broccoli to retain its vibrant green color. It will also keep it from getting mushy. Once it is completely cool and drained, add it to the rest of the ingredients that you have set aside.


Boil the pasta
This is where having a deep skillet comes in handy. I just fill it 3/4 full of water, add in one tablespoon of salt, and bring it to a boil. Add your pasta, and cook according to package directions (I like to cook mine just shy of al dente. This way you can complete the cooking process in the cream sauce).


Now back to the skillet
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan and bring up to low heat. Once melted, remove it from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
Slowly pour in part of the room-temperature heavy cream. Whisk to combine. Once the butter has been incorporated with the cream, pour in the rest and stir.



Place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil.
Add ¾ of the grated cheese continuously whisking until the cheese is melted and evenly combined.
Taste and season with more Cajun seasoning. The more you add, the spicier it will be, so add a little bit at a time until it’s as spicy as you like it.


Next, add all of the ingredients back into the pan. Combine the pork, pasta, and veggies with the cream sauce. Cook over low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and everything is warmed through. Top with the remaining cheese and another sprinkle of Cajun seasoning if desired.

Voila! You have created an entire meal and you only had to dirty one pan.
How to serve Pappadeaux Cajun Pasta
As is, this is a complete meal. All you need is a big hunk of garlic bread to sop up all of that luscious sauce!

Substitutions
I love the versatility of this recipe. It can be made with whatever protein or veggie that you have on hand. Consider this as a guide and then use your creativity to make this Pappadeaux Cajun Pasta Recipe a meal that YOUR family will enjoy!
Some good protein options would be:
- Smoked sausage
- Chicken
- Shrimp
- Crawfish
- Or you could do a combination of any of the above!
Want it spicier? Add more cajun seasoning.
Swap out the veggies for options like:
- Green bell pepper
- Asparagus
- Green peas
- Zucchini
- or just top it with diced Roma tomatoes and green onions
Different pasta options could be:
- Fettucine
- Bowtie
- Penne
- or Pappardelle pasta.
Just choose something sturdy. I would steer clear of the more delicate options like angel hair simply because it won’t hold up as well to all of the hearty ingredients in this recipe.
Tips for Success
- Using freshly grated cheese is always best for making a creamy sauce. Pre-shredded cheese is packaged with preservatives that keep it from clumping. These same preservatives keep it from melting as well.
- Cook the pork in batches. You don’t want to overcrowd your pan or you won’t get a good sear.
- When you drain the pasta, don’t rinse it. You don’t want to wash away any of the starch. It helps to thicken the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta.
- If your mushrooms are dirty, wipe them with a damp paper towel. You don’t want to wash mushrooms. They are like a sponge and will absorb the water which will ruin the texture.
More recipes I think you will love
Pork Medallions in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops
If you decide to make this or any of my other Pasta Recipes, please be sure to give it a rating and let me know how yours turned out. I love hearing your feedback and I will do my best to answer any questions you have as quickly as I can.
As always, I will be back next week with more delicious recipes from my RV kitchen to yours!
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Pappadeaux Cajun Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork tenderloin cut into strips
- 1 package crimini mushrooms or mushroom of your choice
- 1/2 large red onion sliced into half moons
- ½ red bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, plus more to taste I like Slap ya Mama brand
- 2 cups heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- 8 ounces linguine or pasta of your choice
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided
Instructions
Prepare your ingredients
- Slice the pork tenderloin into strips. Season evenly with 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning.
- Cut the onion in half through the root. Cut off the ends and peel. Slice into thin half moon strips.
- Slice the mushrooms.
- Slice the red bell pepper into strips
- Thinly slice the garlic.
- Cut the broccoli into florets.
Sear the pork
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Over medium-high heat, add the pork in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. You want to brown the pork on both sides. If you add too much at once, it will steam and you won't get the same texture.
- Remove the pork and set it aside on a large plate or platter.
Saute your vegetables
- Add the remaining butter to the same pan that you cooked the pork in.
- Once melted, add the mushrooms and saute until golden.
- Add the onions and garlic along with some salt and pepper to taste.
- Saute until the vegetables have softened and the onions are slightly translucent.
- Add the cooked vegetables to the platter with the pork.
Steam the broccoli
- Put the broccoli florets into the same pan. Add 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt.
- Bring the water to a boil and then cover tightly and steam for 3 minutes.
- Drain the broccoli into a colander and rinse with cold water or put it into an ice bath. This will stop the cooking process and allow the broccoli to retain its vibrant green color. It will also keep it from getting mushy.
- Drain and set aside with the other ingredients.
Cook your pasta
- Fill the same pan 3/4 of the way full with water and about a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions.
- Drain into the colander, but don't rinse it. You want the starch to remain on the pasta. It will help the cream sauce thicken and stick to the pasta better.
Make the cream sauce
- Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan and bring up to low heat. Once melted, remove it from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in the room temperature heavy cream. Whisk to combine.
- Once the cream has been fully incorporated, place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil.
- Add ¾ of the grated cheese continuously whisking until the cheese is melted and evenly combined.
- Taste and season with more Cajun seasoning. The more you add, the spicier it will be, so add a little bit at a time until it's as spicy as you like it.
- Next, add all of the ingredients back into the pan. Combine the pork, pasta, and veggies. Cook over low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and everything is warmed through. Top with the remaining cheese and another sprinkle of Cajun seasoning if desired.
This is such a great recipe. I never think of using pork when making a Cajun dish but it’s a great idea.
My mom made this meal and it was super delicious!
Simple ingredients and easy to make. Family loved it, even the fussy ones.
Wonderful as always.
Can’t wait to try this mouth watering recipe!
Looks yummy
I love this twist on a Cajun chicken pasta. The pork is a great alternative!
This turned out great! Just like at the restaurant!
I’m glad it you liked it!
This Cajun pasta looks incredible! I love that you used pork and all the amazing vegetables in it. Can’t wait to make this for my family.
Let me know if you try it. I’d love to know how it turned out.
I love cajun pasta and this was no exception! Such great flavor and the pork was a very nice alternative to chicken. Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This is such a hearty and satisfying dinner recipe, and the cajun spices added great flavor!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂