Name: Cheap Cajun Sausage Pasta With Peppers Under $10
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 12 oz Penne or Rotini pasta ($1.00); 12 oz Smoked Sausage or Kielbasa, sliced ($3.50); 2 Bell Peppers (one green, one red), sliced ($1.50); 1 medium Yellow Onion, thinly sliced ($0.50); 3 cloves Garlic, minced ($0.25); 1 cup Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half ($1.50); 2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning ($0.25); 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil ($0.10); Salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients

Scale

12 oz Penne or Rotini pasta ($1.00)
12 oz Smoked Sausage or Kielbasa, sliced ($3.50)
2 Bell Peppers (one green, one red), sliced ($1.50)
1 medium Yellow Onion, thinly sliced ($0.50)
3 cloves Garlic, minced ($0.25)
1 cup Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half ($1.50)
2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning ($0.25)
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil ($0.10)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until it reaches al dente texture. Before draining, reserve about half a cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the rest and set the pasta aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned and slightly crispy on both sides. Add the bell peppers and onions to the skillet. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 60 seconds until fragrant.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour the heavy cream into the skillet and stir in the Cajun seasoning. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly. If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
Add the cooked pasta into the skillet with the sausage, peppers, and sauce. Toss everything together thoroughly to ensure the pasta is well-coated. Taste and add salt or more Cajun seasoning if you want extra heat. Serve immediately while hot.

Cook Time: 25 minutes