Description
Craving a comfort classic? Creamy sausage pasta delivers Italian-inspired richness with hearty sausage and silky sauce. Delightful dinner perfection awaits you at the table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed)
- 8 oz pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work great)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional, for heat)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped parsley or extra Parmesan
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Cook pasta until perfectly tender, maintaining an al dente texture. Carefully set aside a portion of pasta water for potential sauce adjustment, then drain completely.
- Sausage Searing: Warm olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium flame. Introduce sausage, methodically breaking it down while ensuring thorough caramelization and complete cooking.
- Aromatic Foundation: Incorporate finely chopped onions, allowing them to soften and release their sweet undertones. Infuse garlic and chili flakes, creating a fragrant base that awakens the dish’s complexity.
- Liquid Integration: Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, scraping up any concentrated flavor bits from the skillet’s surface. Allow the liquid to simmer and reduce, concentrating the savory essence.
- Creamy Transformation: Reduce heat and gently fold in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, creating a luxuriously smooth sauce that coats each ingredient with velvety richness.
- Pasta Fusion: Introduce cooked pasta into the skillet, ensuring every strand becomes lavishly enrobed in the creamy sauce. Adjust consistency using reserved pasta water if needed.
- Final Seasoning: Elevate flavors with strategic additions of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Gently warm the entire mixture, allowing ingredients to harmonize and meld together.
- Presentation: Transfer to serving dishes, garnishing with fresh parsley or an extra sprinkle of cheese for a final touch of elegance.
Notes
- Cook pasta just until al dente to prevent mushy texture and ensure a satisfying bite in the final dish.
- Break down sausage into small crumbles while cooking to distribute flavor evenly and create a more consistent sauce base.
- Add heavy cream and Parmesan gradually, stirring constantly to prevent separation and achieve a smooth, silky sauce.
- Use reserved pasta water strategically to control sauce consistency, adding small amounts to thin or loosen the sauce as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg