Description
A creamy and flavorful Cajun Cream Cheese Alfredo Bowties with spiced ground beef, combining tender pasta with a rich, cheesy sauce and a hint of Cajun spice for a perfect weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
Meat
- 1 pound ground beef
Sauce
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bowtie pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside for later use.
- Brown Ground Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Season the beef with Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Once cooked, remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the butter and sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until the mixture is fragrant and the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Melt Cream Cheese and Add Cream: Add the cream cheese to the skillet and stir continuously until it melts smoothly. Then pour in the heavy cream and stir the mixture until the sauce thickens slightly, creating a creamy base.
- Add Parmesan and Adjust Seasoning: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully incorporated. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional Cajun spice, salt, or pepper as desired.
- Combine Beef and Sauce: Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet, mixing it thoroughly with the creamy sauce to coat the meat evenly.
- Add Pasta to Sauce: Add the drained bowtie pasta back into the skillet and gently fold everything together until the pasta is fully coated with the creamy, cheesy sauce. Warm the mixture through over low heat for a couple of minutes.
- Serve: Serve the Cajun Cream Cheese Alfredo Bowties hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the amount of Cajun seasoning or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- You can substitute bowtie pasta with penne or rotini if preferred.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.
- To make it lighter, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream but the sauce may be less rich.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Cajun, Cream Cheese Alfredo, Bowtie Pasta, Ground Beef, Cajun Seasoning, Cream Sauce, Easy Dinner
