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Creamy Cajun-Italian Sausage Ditalini

ByMelissa Jo Posted on
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A skillet filled with creamy tomato pasta featuring small tube-shaped noodles, ground meat, and garnished with fresh chopped herbs. A ladle is lifting a portion from the pan.

If you’ve ever made my Beefaroni and loved it, this one’s for you. This creamy Cajun-Italian sausage ditalini is the cozy, saucy cousin — a little Italian, a little Cajun, and completely irresistible. I make beefaroni all the time because it’s quick, comforting, and everyone loves it, but this version leans creamy with just enough spice and richness to feel extra special. It’s one of those recipes where you grab bread, scoop straight from the pan, and wonder why you didn’t make a double batch.

This pasta is all about building flavor fast — the Trinity, Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, cream, and pasta water coming together into a silky sauce that clings perfectly to every bite of ditalini. Simple ingredients, big payoff.

A tray of raw ground meat sits on a wooden countertop next to a large container of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning in a kitchen.
A hand holds a container of Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning over a pan of chopped onions and green peppers cooking on a stovetop. A wooden spoon rests on the pan’s edge.
A close-up of a skillet cooking ground meat, diced green peppers, and a chunky tomato sauce being stirred with a wooden spatula. The sauce appears to be for pasta or a similar dish.
A metal mixing bowl with a pink, frothy liquid inside, and red residue on the sides, sits on a wooden surface next to a white measuring spoon and a metal measuring scoop.
A metal mixing bowl containing a light pink, frothy liquid with some foam on top. The inside of the bowl is coated with red residue. A metal tablespoon measuring spoon rests nearby on a wooden surface.
A close-up of a pan on a stove simmering tomato-based meat sauce with visible ground meat, tomato chunks, and a creamy swirl on top.
A close-up of a pot filled with thick, creamy orange-red tomato sauce, with small bubbles and herbs visible on the surface.
A pan on a stovetop filled with small tube-shaped pasta and creamy tomato sauce, with the pasta piled in the center and not yet mixed into the sauce.
A large skillet filled with cooked ditalini pasta, ground meat, and a creamy tomato sauce, creating a hearty, orange-red pasta dish.
A woman in a floral top holds a large skillet of cooked food, possibly a rice or pasta dish, in a bright kitchen with white cabinets and modern decor.
A close-up of a skillet filled with creamy pasta in tomato sauce, garnished with chopped parsley. A hand with purple nail polish holds a spoon, lifting a serving of pasta. A kitchen sink and cabinets are visible in the background.
A bowl of pasta with a creamy tomato meat sauce, topped with shredded cheese and parsley, garnished with a slice of bread. A pot of more pasta sits in the background on a wooden surface.

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If You Can’t Find Tony’s Creole Seasoning

If you don’t have Tony’s or another Cajun seasoning blend on hand, you can make a quick substitute using pantry spices. Add the following directly to the butter and vegetables:

  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼–½ tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
  • ½ tsp salt

This gives you that same Cajun-style flavor base without needing a premade blend.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

🤔 Common Questions

Can I make this less spicy?

Yes! Use mild Italian sausage and reduce the cayenne (or Tony’s) slightly.

Can I use another pasta shape?

Absolutely. Small shapes like elbows, shells, or tubetti work well, but ditalini is ideal for holding the sauce.

A skillet filled with creamy tomato pasta featuring small tube-shaped noodles, ground meat, and garnished with fresh chopped herbs. A ladle is lifting a portion from the pan.

Creamy Cajun-Italian Sausage Ditalini

If you’ve ever made my Beefaroni and loved it, this one’s for you. This creamy Cajun-Italian sausage ditalini is the cozy, saucy cousin — a little Italian, a little Cajun, and completely irresistible. I make beefaroni all the time because it’s quick, comforting, and everyone loves it, but this version leans creamy with just enough spice and richness to feel extra special. It’s one of those recipes where you grab bread, scoop straight from the pan, and wonder why you didn’t make a double batch.
This pasta is all about building flavor fast — the Trinity, Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, cream, and pasta water coming together into a silky sauce that clings perfectly to every bite of ditalini. Simple ingredients, big payoff.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine cajun, Italian
Servings 6 people

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For Serving

  • Sliced Italian bread
  • Freshly grated cheddar cheese (totally optional

Instructions
 

Cook the Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook ditalini until just al dente (slightly underdone). Reserve pasta water before draining.

Start the Sauce

  • In a high-sided pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the Trinity and cook until softened and translucent.

Season & Build Flavor

  • Add garlic and Tony’s Creole Seasoning. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the Sausage

  • Add Italian sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until fully browned and cooked through.

Add Tomatoes & Cream

  • Pour in crushed tomatoes. Add heavy cream directly to the empty tomato can, stir to loosen all the tomato, then pour into the pan.

Simmer

  • Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Loosen with Pasta Water

  • Add 1 cup pasta water and stir to loosen the sauce.

Add the Pasta

  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer ditalini directly into the sauce. Some pasta water dripping in is perfect.

Adjust Consistency

  • Add up to ½ cup more pasta water, as needed, until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta.

Finish the Sauce

  • Reduce heat to low. Stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese until fully incorporated.

Serve

  • Garnish with parsley. Serve straight from the pan with sliced Italian bread for scooping. Spoon optional, bread encouraged.
Keyword cajun italian, cajun italian sausage ditalini
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