Zesty Cajun Alfredo Bowties With Spiced Beef (Print Version)
Creamy Cajun Alfredo sauce coats tender bowties topped with seasoned spiced beef for a bold, satisfying pasta dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta
02 - 1 Tbsp salt for pasta water
→ Spiced Beef
03 - 1 lb beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
04 - 1 Tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
07 - ½ tsp garlic powder
08 - ½ tsp onion powder
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Alfredo Sauce
11 - 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
12 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - 6 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
15 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning to taste
17 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
19 - 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
20 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
# Directions:
01 - Cook bowtie pasta in large pot of salted boiling water until al dente per package directions. Drain while reserving ½ cup pasta water. Set aside.
02 - Combine beef strips with olive oil, smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper in medium bowl. Toss until evenly coated.
03 - Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned beef strips and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside covered loosely.
04 - Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic. Sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and add cubed cream cheese. Stir continuously until cream cheese melts completely and sauce achieves smooth consistency.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Add drained pasta to sauce, tossing thoroughly to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually if sauce requires thinning to achieve desired consistency.
08 - Arrange spiced beef over pasta. Either toss gently to distribute or leave beef atop as garnish.
09 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cream cheese makes this Alfredo incredibly silky without any complicated techniques
- You get that restaurant quality Cajun spice without needing a dozen specialty ingredients
02 -
- Cream cheese can seize if added to boiling liquid so always reduce your heat first
- The sauce will thicken quickly off the heat so err on the side of slightly thinner when tossing
03 -
- Room temperature cream cheese melts faster and prevents those annoying little lumps in your sauce
- Grate your Parmesan from a wedge because the pre shredded stuff never melts quite right