Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta
Smoky, creamy, spicy, packed with protein, and aggressively low-effort. This vegan Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta takes all the cozy flavours of a jambalaya-inspired Cajun situation and turns them into a one-pan, dump-and-bake dinner that somehow tastes like you worked much harder than you actually did.
Watch how to make Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta over on my YouTube channel! And don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it 😉
Ingredients & Inspiration
Sometimes, you just need an easy winner when it comes to dinner. And so I’m always looking for ways to make meals that are easy on the wallet, nourishing and yet still give comfort food vibes. Thus, this creamy and rich Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta was born. So much flavour, so little effort, and a heck of a lot of fibre and protein.
And perhaps most importantly? No boiling pasta. Because some nights we simply do not have the emotional bandwidth.
We’re talking:
- smoky vegan chorizo
- chewy soy curls
- the holy trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper
- creamy Cajun-spiced sauce
- protein-packed penne that cooks right in the oven
Cajun Spice Blend
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1–1½ tsp salt
Or, you can always use your favourite store-bought Cajun spice blend
Pasta Bake
- 4 vegan chorizo-style sausages, sliced
- 1–1½ cups dry soy curls
- 300g dry penne pasta, or small pasta of choice
- 1 onion, diced
- 2–3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1–2 bell peppers, chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2–3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp flour OR 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 2–3 tsp Cajun seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Why You’ll Love Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta
- High-protein & satisfying thanks to soy curls + vegan sausage
- One-pan friendly with minimal dishes
- No pre-cooking pasta
- Rich and creamy while still being pretty wholesome
- Great for meal prep
- Budget-friendly
- Feels indulgent without needing a gallon of vegan cream
It’s basically what would happen if jambalaya and creamy Cajun pasta had a very delicious casserole baby.
How to Make Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta
Instructions
- Place soy curls in a bowl with 1 tsp cajun seasoning blend and cover with hot vegetable broth or water. Mix and let soak for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture. This helps them absorb all the smoky Cajun flavour later instead of tasting bland.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large skillet, warm 1 tbsp olive oil (or ¼ cup water) and brown the vegan chorizo for 3–4 minutes. Then add onion, celery, bell pepper, and shallot and cook another 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Then add the tomato paste and 2–3 tsp Cajun seasoning, and cook 1 more minute.
- To the skillet, stir in the soy milk, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, flour or cornstarch. The sauce should look thinner than a normal pasta sauce. That’s intentional—the pasta and soy curls absorb a LOT while baking. Taste and adjust salt/spice levels as you like.
- In a large casserole dish, combine the dry pasta, soaked soy curls and sauce mixture. Mix thoroughly so all pasta is submerged as much as possible, then cover tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove foil and stir well. If it looks dry, add a splash of broth or soy milk. Let sit 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken and cling to the pasta properly.
- TIP: Don’t panic if it looks soupy! Fresh out of the oven, the sauce will seem loose. But after five minutes or so it will thicken up to creamy perfection and the pasta and soy curls continue absorbing liquid as it rests.
- TIP: Want it even creamier? Stir in vegan cream cheese, blended silken tofu or extra nutritional yeast right after baking.
Cajun, Baby
This vegan Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta is proof that lazy dinners do not have to taste lazy. You get smoky sausage, creamy Cajun sauce, chewy soy curls, tender pasta, and a surprisingly high-protein dinner—all with minimal effort and one baking dish. Which is exactly the kind of energy we’re bringing to dinner these days!
Love this recipe? I’d really appreciate if you gave me a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Lastly, if you made any of these recipes and decide to share them on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to
Dump and Bake Cajun Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- Place soy curls in a bowl with 1 tsp cajun seasoning blend and cover with hot vegetable broth or water. Mix and let soak for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture. This helps them absorb all the smoky Cajun flavour later instead of tasting bland.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large skillet, warm 1 tbsp olive oil (or ¼ cup water) and brown the vegan chorizo for 3–4 minutes. Then add onion, celery, bell pepper, and shallot and cook another 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Then add the tomato paste and 2–3 tsp Cajun seasoning, and cook 1 more minute.
- To the skillet, stir in the soy milk, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, flour or cornstarch. The sauce should look thinner than a normal pasta sauce. That’s intentional—the pasta and soy curls absorb a LOT while baking. Taste and adjust salt/spice levels as you like.
- In a large casserole dish, combine the dry pasta, soaked soy curls and sauce mixture. Mix thoroughly so all pasta is submerged as much as possible, then cover tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove foil and stir well. If it looks dry, add a splash of broth or soy milk. Let sit 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken and cling to the pasta properly.
