Cajun Alfredo Bowties With Spiced Beef (Printable)
Creamy Cajun-spiced Alfredo pasta topped with seasoned beef for a bold, comforting dinner.
# What You 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
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
19 - 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
20 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
# How-To:
01 - Cook the bowtie pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss the beef strips with olive oil, smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until well coated.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef strips and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove beef from skillet and set aside, loosely covered.
04 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.
05 - Add heavy cream and cream cheese to the skillet. Stir until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.
08 - Top the pasta with the cooked spiced beef. Toss gently or leave beef on top as a garnish.
09 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The way the cream cheese creates an impossibly silky sauce that clings to every bowtie curve
- That first bite where smoky beef meets cool cream and gentle heat all at once
02 -
- Room temperature cream cheese melts so much faster, and I've ruined plenty of sauces by forgetting this simple step
- That reserved pasta water is liquid gold, and it's the difference between sauce that slides off and sauce that hugs the noodles
03 -
- Pat your beef completely dry before seasoning, or it'll steam instead of sear
- Low and slow is better than high and fast when melting the cream cheese into the cream