Cajun One Pot Pasta

When dinner needs to be easy, filling, and something the whole family will actually eat, this one-pot Cajun pasta ticks all the boxes. It’s a bit of a weeknight staple at our place — beef mince, pasta, beans, and just the right amount of spice from my Cajun Seasoning. No need for anything fancy, just a solid, hearty feed that doesn’t take all night to get on the table.

Everything goes in the one pot. Bit of chopping, bit of stirring, and you’re done. The pasta cooks in the sauce, the cheese melts over the top, and what you end up with is rich, saucy, and full of flavour. It’s a good one to have in the back pocket for those nights where no one can agree on what to eat. This usually does the trick.

What you need

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 tbsp Smokey Joe’s Cajun Seasoning

• 500g beef mince

• 1 carrot, grated (skin on’s fine)

• 1 zucchini, grated

• 1 red capsicum, chopped

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 800g crushed tomatoes

• 400g kidney beans, drained

• 2 cups chicken stock

• 2 cups water

• 3 cups elbow, penne or spiral pasta

• 1½ cups tasty cheese, shredded

• Green onion, sliced (optional)

  
  

What to do

1. Heat the oil in a big pot over high heat.

2. Cook the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes, then add the mince. Break it up and cook until it’s browned.

3. Toss in the carrot and zucchini and cook off the moisture. Add capsicum and give it another couple of minutes.

4. Stir in the tomato paste and Cajun seasoning. Let it cook for a minute to bring out the flavour.

5. Add tomatoes, water, stock and beans. Stir and bring it up to a simmer.

6. Add pasta, stir again, then drop the heat to medium and cover. Let it simmer gently for 15 minutes, giving it a stir now and then so nothing sticks.

7. When the pasta’s nearly done and it’s still a bit saucy, take the lid off. Stir, level the top, and sprinkle over the cheese.

8. Turn the heat off, leave the lid on, and let it sit for 3 minutes so the cheese melts and the pasta finishes cooking.

9. Top with green onion if you want, and serve it up while it’s hot and cheesy.