Description
Creamy, spicy pasta dish combining tender bowtie pasta with a rich cream cheese Alfredo sauce flavored with Cajun seasoning and hearty spiced ground beef.
Ingredients
1 pound bowtie pasta
1 pound ground beef
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk or half-and-half
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons reserved pasta water (as needed)
Instructions
Cook bowtie pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, season with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook until browned and slightly crispy; remove and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium; add remaining butter and garlic to skillet, sauté 30 seconds. Add cream cheese and stir until softened.
Slowly whisk in milk or half-and-half, stirring continuously until creamy and smooth.
Stir in Parmesan and remaining Cajun seasoning; simmer 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Return ground beef and cooked pasta to skillet; toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen sauce.
Serve hot, garnish with extra Parmesan, chopped parsley, or red pepper flakes as desired.
Notes
Use softened cream cheese for smooth sauce.
Crisp ground beef slightly for texture.
Stir sauce constantly to avoid lumps.
Adjust Cajun seasoning to preferred spice level.
Reserve pasta water to control sauce thickness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American/Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 37
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 115
Keywords: cajun cream cheese alfredo, spicy bowtie pasta, ground beef pasta, creamy cajun pasta, one-pan cajun dinner