Cajun alfredo sauce is a thick, creamy, and delicious sauce that’s great on pasta, chicken, or seafood.
What Is Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
Cajun alfredo sauce has been around since at least the 1950s.
The name comes from New Orleans chef Alfred “Fred” Marrast who popularized this dish in his restaurants there after WWII.
Fred was born into an Italian family but became friends with Cajuns, a French-speaking group native to Louisiana.
He adapted their food recipes to suit American tastes and made it available to everyone.
Today, this sauce can be found all over America where people enjoy it as a side dish.
You don’t need any special ingredients to make your own version of this classic!
How Do You Make Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
The base of this Cajun alfredo sauce includes butter, flour, milk, cheese, egg yolks, and garlic.
The ingredients are cooked together until they form a smooth paste.
Then, it’s seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, and more.
A few drops of liquid smoke add a smoky flavor to the dish.
Finally, you can use your choice of cream-based sauces as the finishing touch for the dish.
You can choose from heavy cream, half & half, sour cream, mayonnaise, or even plain yogurt.
Whichever one you select will give the final product a different taste profile.
To make cajun alfredo sauce at home, follow these steps:
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter along with the vegetable oil.
- Once melted, whisk in the flour.
- Cook until the roux becomes light brown.
- Slowly pour in 1 cup (250 mL) of hot water into the pan while stirring constantly.
- Continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Add the remaining 2 cups (500 mL) of water and stir continuously until well combined.
- Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, eggs, seasonings, and garlic powder.
- Stir until everything comes together and forms a smooth paste.
- Season to taste with additional spices if desired.
- Transfer the sauce to an 8-cup (1 L) baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
- Place the dish in the oven set to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges start to bubble up slightly.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.
What Is In Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
The ingredients in this dish are all simple – garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, salt, and oil.
These basic flavors give the sauce its characteristic flavor profile.
All of these common spices can be found at any grocery store, so it’s easy to whip up your own batch of Cajun alfredo sauce whenever you want!
You may also find other ingredients like tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, etc.
added into the mix depending on what kind of food you plan to serve.
How Spicy Is Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
This Cajun alfredo sauce is not too hot and not too mild — it has just enough heat to add some flavor without making you feel like your mouth is going to explode.
The spiciness comes from the red pepper flakes used in this dish, which are crushed into tiny pieces before they go into the mix.
The red peppers have been roasted so that their natural oils will be released, giving the sauce its rich flavor.
If you want a little extra kick, you can always add more red pepper flakes at the end of cooking, but keep in mind that if you use more than one tablespoon per half cup (120 milliliters) of sauce, you may find yourself reaching for the water bottle every time you eat!
How Long Does It Take To Make Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
It takes about 30 minutes to an hour to prepare this Cajun Alfredo Sauce Recipe.
The first step in making your own sauce is roasting the garlic cloves over medium heat, which adds flavor while softening the cloves.
Next, add some olive oil into a pan.
When the oil starts to bubble, add the onion and sauté until softened, then add the mushrooms and stir-fry them until they release their juices.
Add the tomato paste and cook it until it begins to brown slightly.
Once everything has cooked down, pour the mixture into a blender along with the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, chicken broth, salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper.
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Finally, transfer the blended sauce back into the pan and allow it to simmer over low heat.
What Can You Serve Cajun Alfredo Sauce With?
If you love Cajun food but don’t want your taste buds to be overwhelmed by spice, this is the ideal dish for you! The mild flavor profile makes it easy to pair with almost anything.
Some people like adding cheese to their dishes (especially if they have an extra-spicy hot sauce), while others prefer using no additions at all.
Either way, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this versatile sauce in your meals.
- Pasta
- Chicken
- Seafood
- Shrimp
- Vegetables
- Fried foods
- Desserts
- Salads
- Soups
- Main dishes
- Side dishes
- Beverages
- Snacks
How Do You Store Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
You don’t have to worry about storing your homemade cajun alfredo sauce because it doesn’t freeze well.
You also shouldn’t keep it in the refrigerator after opening as its shelf life is only about two weeks.
How Long Does Cajun Alfredo Sauce Last?
The best way to keep your cajun alfredo sauce fresh is to refrigerate it in an airtight container.
However, if you want to make extra, we recommend freezing any leftover sauce in small batches so you can save it for later use.
You can also freeze leftovers of this sauce in ice cube trays and then transfer them into freezer bags once they have frozen solid.
You will need about 2 tablespoons (28g) per serving when using frozen cubes instead of a full cup (8 ounces/226ml).
When thawing, be sure to allow the sauce to sit out at room temperature before bringing it back down to its original temperature.
The longer you let it sit at room temperature, the less likely it is to break apart while cooking.
If you are making more than one batch of Cajun Alfredo Sauce, consider doubling up on the ingredients to ensure there are enough servings for everyone involved!
Can You Freeze Cajun Alfredo Sauce?
You can make this cajun alfredo sauce ahead of time to save yourself from making it again while your family waits to eat dinner.
If you do want to store leftovers in the freezer, though, be sure to let them cool completely before putting them into an airtight container so they don’t thaw too quickly.
If you use milk instead of cream when cooking, however, it will separate and turn out runny if frozen.
So, skip freezing the milk-based version and only freeze the cream-based one.
Otherwise, follow these tips for storing leftovers:
- Let the sauce cool completely at room temperature before wrapping it up and placing it in the refrigerator.
- Don’t put any sauces or hot foods in the same fridge compartment as cold ones.
- Keep food away from each other to avoid cross contamination.
- Store leftover sauces in their original containers, not plastic bags.
Freezing Cajun Alfredo Sauce With Cream
This recipe makes enough sauce to serve 6 people, but you could easily double or triple it.
You could also add more garlic if you like extra flavor.
To keep things simple, I used two cloves of garlic here and didn’t have any problems with my sauce separating after freezing.
Just make sure to stir well once you take it off the stove to prevent clumping.
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 tablespoons butter (plus 2 teaspoons for sautéing onions)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used button mushrooms)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- Directions:
In a medium stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter until bubbly.
Add the onions and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent.
Add the cream, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, mix together the paprika and mushroom slices in a bowl.
Using tongs, remove the cooked onions to a plate and set aside.
Once the mixture has cooled slightly, transfer all of the sauce ingredients except the pasta back to the pot and return the pot to medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Stirring every 5 minutes or so, allow the sauce to fully blend and develop its flavors.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and add the mushrooms.
Continue to simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the pasta.
Stir until combined thoroughly.
Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley flakes if desired.
Freezing Cajun Alfredo Sauce Without Cream
For those who prefer using plain dairy free milk rather than cream, you can still enjoy this dish without worrying about ruining the texture of the sauce by adding water during preparation.
The result is a smooth sauce that tastes exactly how it should, just like the regular version.
The key difference between this method and the previous option is that you won’t need to wait for the sauce to cool down before refrigerating it.
Instead, you can simply place it straight into the refrigerator and let it chill overnight.
When you’re ready to reheat it, you can either microwave it, or warm it gently on the stovetop or in the oven.
To make this recipe, first start by melting 4 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
Once melted, add the onion and sautee for around five minutes, until softened and golden brown.
Next, add the spices and cook for a minute.
Add the mushrooms and cook for three more minutes.
Lastly, add the milk and whisk to combine everything together.
Transfer the contents of the skillet to a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat for ten minutes, stirring often, until the sauce starts to bubble.
Turn the heat down to low and cover the saucepan.
Allow the sauce to come to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
Keep an eye on it because it may look separated at times.
Once it’s done, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter.
Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
When you’ve finished blending, transfer the sauce to a storage container and place in the refrigerator.
Let it chill overnight, then reheat it on the stovetop or in the oven according to directions below.
What Are Some
Ingredients to make Cajun Alfredo Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch dried thyme (optional)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until it starts to bubble.
- Add in 3 tablespoons olive oil, then add in 4 cloves garlic, and sauté until fragrant.
- Stir occasionally so that they don’t burn.
- Add in cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
- Then remove from heat.
- Return pan to stovetop over low heat.
- Whisking constantly, slowly pour in cream and whisk until incorporated into paste.
- Stir in all other ingredients except cornstarch and milk.
- Bring mixture to boil and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously.
- Whisk in cornstarch and milk one at a time, continuing to stir until smooth.
- Once combined, bring back to simmer and continue cooking for another minute.
- Remove sauce from heat and serve immediately.
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup butter
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 2⁄3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cajun seasoning Tony Chacherres or Zatterans
Instructions
- Melt the butter.
- Add the garlic.
- Cook until the garlic begins to smell.
- Pour in the cream.
- Hard simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.
- Mix in the cheese and Cajun seasoning.
- Cook until completely melted.
- Pour over your preferred pasta.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.