Cajun Macaroni — The Side Dish That Holds Its Own Next to Rémy’s Boudin

Rémy turns eleven. His birthday request: cook the entire Thanksgiving gumbo this year AND add a new dish to the menu. He wants to bring smoked boudin to the cottage. His own boudin, made from scratch. He's eleven. He wants to make boudin from scratch. The process involves: pork, rice, liver, onion, garlic, casings, a meat grinder, a sausage stuffer, and the willingness to spend an entire Saturday in the kitchen handling offal. I said yes. Of course I said yes. The boy asked to make boudin. The answer is always yes when a boy asks to make boudin.

We spent the Saturday before his birthday in the kitchen. Pork shoulder simmered with onion and garlic until tender. Liver cooked separately (the liver is non-negotiable — real boudin has liver, and Rémy knows this, and the knowing separates the Cajuns from the tourists). Rice cooked in the pork broth. Everything combined, seasoned (Rémy's seasoning — he has his own blend now, kept in a jar labeled "RéMY'S BLEND" in his handwriting). Ground through the meat grinder. Stuffed into casings. Tied off. Smoked on the pit for two hours.

The boudin was extraordinary. The pork was tender, the rice was flavored, the liver was present but not overwhelming, and the seasoning was perfect — cayenne-forward, the way Joey's was, the way mine is, the way Rémy's is becoming. He's developed his own palate, his own hand, his own approach, and the approach is Beaumont through and through: bold, honest, unapologetic about heat. The boy is a cook. The boy is a Beaumont. The boy is eleven and making boudin from scratch, and the chain is not just holding. The chain is forging new links.

The boudin was the centerpiece — it always would be — but a Beaumont table doesn’t let the sides play small. After watching Rémy spend an entire Saturday grinding pork and stuffing casings, I wanted to put something next to that boudin that matched its energy: bold seasoning, honest heat, nothing apologizing for itself. This Cajun Macaroni is exactly that — cayenne-forward, deeply savory, and built for the kind of cooking we do in this family. It holds its own on a plate next to smoked sausage, and that’s the only qualification that matters.

Cajun Macaroni

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 lb ground beef or andouille sausage, crumbled
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Ro-Tel)
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef or andouille sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
3. Sauté the vegetables. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Season and simmer. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, cayenne, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Add both cans of diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and deepen in flavor.
5. Combine with pasta. Add the cooked macaroni to the skillet and stir well to coat every piece in the tomato-Cajun sauce. If the mixture looks too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Cook together for 2 minutes over medium heat.
6. Add the cheese. Remove from heat and scatter shredded cheddar over the top. Stir until melted and fully incorporated, or cover the skillet for 2 minutes to let the cheese melt undisturbed for a slightly saucier finish.
7. Taste and serve. Taste for seasoning — add more cayenne if the heat isn’t there yet. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired. Goes directly onto the plate next to smoked boudin without any shame whatsoever.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 19g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 780mg