Creamy Sausage Pasta Recipe
This creamy Italian sausage pasta recipe is super simple, made with minimal ingredients and ready in 35 minutes or less! It's irresistibly creamy, deliciously cheesy, and bursting with tender pasta, savory sausage, aromatic vegetables and bold Italian flavors! It's an easy, restaurant-quality dinner that you and your family will love!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Servings: 6
Calories: 704kcal
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large, Deep Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked Shell Pasta (or other small pasta)
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- 1 small Yellow Onion – finely chopped (about 1 ¾ cup)
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper – finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound Ground Italian Sausage - sweet, mild or hot (SEE NOTES)
- 2 cloves Garlic – minced
- 1 ¼ tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 TBS All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup EACH: White Wine & Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (or 2/3 cup of broth only)
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream
- ½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese – plus more for garnish
- Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper – to taste
For Garnish: Fresh Parsley, Fresh Basil, Red Pepper Flakes, Lemon Wedges
For Serving: Crusty Bread or Garlic Bread
Instructions
- Cook pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to al dente package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, sauté vegetables: In a large, deep skillet heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are almost softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add sausage and season: Increase heat to medium-high. Add the sausage to the pan along with the Italian seasoning. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, breaking the sausage up into large crumbles as you go, for about 4-6 minutes, or until sausage is almost browned. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add flour and deglaze: Sprinkle the flour over sausage and stir well. Cook 1-2 minute to remove raw flour taste. Add the wine (or 1/3 cup broth) to deglaze the pan. Stir well, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the liquid is almost completely absorbed.
- Add liquids and simmer: Stir in the broth and then add the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.
- Add pasta: Stir in the cooked pasta. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Add parmesan: Turn off the heat and gradually stir in parmesan cheese, one handful at a time. Stir until cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Serve: Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and top with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta: You can use any variety of small dry pasta you have on hand! Try using macaroni, fusilli, gemelli or orecchiette!
- Sausage: I personally used ground spicy Italian sausage; however, you can use your favorite type of sausage depending on personal preference! Make sure you use ‘loose’ or ground sausage. If you purchase sausage links, be sure to remove the sausages from their casings before proceeding with the recipe. For a full list of varieties of sausage you can use, please see details in the post.
Nutrition
Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 396mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1659IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg